Supreme Court of the United States, 1953

The Court affirmed the judgment rejecting federal liability for the Texas City fertilizer explosions. Justice Reed's four-Justice opinion concluded that the Federal Tort Claims Act's discretionary-function exception protected the fertilizer program's planning decisions, manufacturing specifications, labeling choices…

Justice Clark's majority opinion held that Mezei's prior residence and temporary presence on Ellis Island did not prevent treating him as an entering alien after his prolonged absence abroad.

The Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeals' reversal of Rumely's contempt conviction, holding that the House resolution authorizing the Select Committee on Lobbying Activities did not empower it to compel the disclosure of purchasers of books and pamphlets.

The Court affirmed Rumely's conviction, holding that the House resolution authorizing the Select Committee on Lobbying Activities did not empower the committee to compel the production of the records Rumely refused to disclose.

The Court affirmed the federal appellate judgments denying habeas relief to Brown, Speller, and the Daniels petitioners. It held that exhaustion does not require repetitive state collateral proceedings on claims already presented, that state adjudications do not foreclose federal constitutional review, and that an…