United States v. Ballin

United States v. Ballin
Supreme Court of the United States
Argued December 2, 1891 Decided February 29, 1892
Full case name	United States v. Ballin, Joseph & Co.
Citations	144 U.S. 1 (more) 12 S. Ct. 507; 36 L. Ed. 321; 1892 U.S. LEXIS 2047
Case history
Prior	Collector of New York classified certain imported worsteds as manufactures of wool and assessed duty under 22 Stat. 508 488, 508, c.121; upheld, Board of General Appraisers; reversed, Circuit Court, Southern District of New York (45 F 170 (CCSDNY 1891)).
Holding
When quorum is present, votes of majority of quorum are sufficient to pass a bill.
Court membership
Chief Justice Melville Fuller Associate Justices Stephen J. Field · John M. Harlan Horace Gray · Samuel Blatchford Lucius Q. C. Lamar II · David J. Brewer Henry B. Brown
Case opinion
Majority	Brewer, joined by unanimous
Laws applied
U.S. Const. Art. I, §5

United States v. Ballin, 144 U.S. 1 (1892), is a decision issued on February 29, 1892 by the United States Supreme Court, discussing the constitutional definition of "a quorum to do business" in Congress.^[1] Justice David Brewer delivered the opinion of the unanimous Court, analyzing the constitutional limitations on the United States Senate and House of Representatives when determining their rules of proceedings. In particular, the Court held that it fell within the powers of the House and Senate to establish their own rules for verifying whether a majority of their members is present, as required for a quorum under Article I of the Constitution.

The case was brought after the Board of General Appraisers affirmed the decision of the Collector of New York to classify imported worsted cloth as woolens, thus subjecting them to a higher rate of customs duty. The importers challenged the validity of the law authorizing the duty increase, alleging that a quorum was not present when the law was passed. On appeal, the Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York sustained the importers' claim and reversed the Board's decision. The United States appealed to the Supreme Court, which reversed the Circuit Court's judgment and upheld the Board's decision. The decision established unambiguously that when a quorum is present, approval by a majority of that quorum is sufficient for the House or Senate to pass a bill.