# List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 239

This is a list of cases reported in volume 239 of United States Reports, decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1915 and 1916.

## Justices of the Supreme Court at the time of volume 239 U.S.

The Supreme Court is established by Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States, which says: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court . . .". The size of the Court is not specified; the Constitution leaves it to Congress to set the number of justices. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 Congress originally fixed the number of justices at six (one chief justice and five associate justices). Since 1789 Congress has varied the size of the Court from six to seven, nine, ten, and back to nine justices (always including one chief justice).
When the cases in volume 239 were decided the Court comprised the following nine members:
| Justice | Office | Home State | Succeeded | Date confirmed by the Senate (Vote) | Tenure on Supreme Court |
| Edward Douglass White | Chief Justice | Louisiana | Melville Fuller | December 12, 1910 (Acclamation) | December 19, 1910 – May 19, 1921 (Died) |
| Joseph McKenna | Associate Justice | California | Stephen Johnson Field | January 21, 1898 (Acclamation) | January 26, 1898 – January 5, 1925 (Retired) |
| Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. | Associate Justice | Massachusetts | Horace Gray | December 4, 1902 (Acclamation) | December 8, 1902 – January 12, 1932 (Retired) |
| William R. Day | Associate Justice | Ohio | George Shiras Jr. | February 23, 1903 (Acclamation) | March 2, 1903 – November 13, 1922 (Retired) |
| Charles Evans Hughes | Associate Justice | New York | David Josiah Brewer | May 2, 1910 (Acclamation) | October 10, 1910 – June 10, 1916 (Resigned) |
| Willis Van Devanter | Associate Justice | Wyoming | Edward Douglass White (as Associate Justice) | December 15, 1910 (Acclamation) | January 3, 1911 – June 2, 1937 (Retired) |
| Joseph Rucker Lamar | Associate Justice | Georgia | William Henry Moody | December 15, 1910 (Acclamation) | January 3, 1911 – January 2, 1916 (Died) |
| Mahlon Pitney | Associate Justice | New Jersey | John Marshall Harlan | March 13, 1912 (50–26) | March 18, 1912 – December 31, 1922 (Resigned) |
| James Clark McReynolds | Associate Justice | Tennessee | Horace Harmon Lurton | August 29, 1914 (44–6) | October 12, 1914 – January 31, 1941 (Retired) |

## Notable Case in 239 U.S.
### Hadacheck v. Sebastian

Hadacheck v. Sebastian, 239 U.S. 394 (1915), was an early Supreme Court case on the constitutionality of zoning ordinances. The Court held that an ordinance of Los Angeles, California, prohibiting the manufacturing of bricks within specified limits of the city, did not unconstitutionally deprive the petitioner of his property without due process of law, or deny him equal protection of the laws.

## Citation style

Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 the federal court structure at the time comprised District Courts, which had general trial jurisdiction; Circuit Courts, which had mixed trial and appellate (from the US District Courts) jurisdiction; and the United States Supreme Court, which had appellate jurisdiction over the federal District and Circuit courts—and for certain issues over state courts. The Supreme Court also had limited original jurisdiction (i.e., in which cases could be filed directly with the Supreme Court without first having been heard by a lower federal or state court). There were one or more federal District Courts and/or Circuit Courts in each state, territory, or other geographical region.
The Judiciary Act of 1891 created the United States Courts of Appeals and reassigned the jurisdiction of most routine appeals from the district and circuit courts to these appellate courts. The Act created nine new courts that were originally known as the "United States Circuit Courts of Appeals." The new courts had jurisdiction over most appeals of lower court decisions. The Supreme Court could review either legal issues that a court of appeals certified or decisions of court of appeals by writ of certiorari. On January 1, 1912, the effective date of the Judicial Code of 1911, the old Circuit Courts were abolished, with their remaining trial court jurisdiction transferred to the U.S. District Courts.
Bluebook citation style is used for case names, citations, and jurisdictions.
* "# Cir." = United States Court of Appeals
** e.g., "3d Cir." = United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
* "D." = United States District Court for the District of . . .
** e.g.,"D. Mass." = United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
* "E." = Eastern; "M." = Middle; "N." = Northern; "S." = Southern; "W." = Western
** e.g.,"M.D. Ala." = United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
* "Ct. Cl." = United States Court of Claims
* The abbreviation of a state's name alone indicates the highest appellate court in that state's judiciary at the time.
** e.g.,"Pa." = Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
** e.g.,"Me." = Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

## List of cases in volume 239 U.S.

| Case Name | Page and year | Opinion of the Court | Concurring opinion(s) | Dissenting opinion(s) | Lower Court | Disposition |
| Cerecedo v. United States | 1 (1915) | White | none | none | D.P.R. | dismissed |
| Gegiow v. Uhl | 3 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | 2d Cir. | reversed |
| Central Trust Company of Illinois v. Lueders | 11 (1915) | McReynolds | none | none | 6th Cir. | dismissed |
| Stewart v. City of Kansas City | 14 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | Kan. | dismissed |
| United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company v. Riefler | 17 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | 7th Cir. | certification |
| Steinfeld v. Zeckendorf | 26 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | Ariz. | affirmed |
| Manila Investment Company v. Trammell | 31 (1915) | Day | none | none | S.D. Fla. | affirmed |
| Truax v. Raich | 33 (1915) | Hughes | none | McReynolds | D. Ariz. | affirmed |
| Rio Grande Western Railroad Company v. Stringham | 44 (1915) | VanDevanter | none | none | Utah | multiple |
| Briggs v. United Shoe Machinery Company | 48 (1915) | VanDevanter | none | none | S.D.N.Y. | affirmed |
| Pennsylvania Company v. Donat | 50 (1915) | McReynolds | none | none | 7th Cir. | affirmed |
| Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company v. Devine | 52 (1915) | White | none | none | Ill. | affirmed |
| Stratton v. Stratton | 55 (1915) | White | none | none | Ohio Dist. Ct. App. | dismissed |
| City of New York v. Sage | 57 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | 2d Cir. | reversed |
| La Roque v. United States | 62 (1915) | VanDevanter | none | none | 8th Cir. | affirmed |
| Anderson v. The Forty-Two Broadway Company | 69 (1915) | Pitney | none | none | 2d Cir. | reversed |
| United States v. Barnow | 74 (1915) | Pitney | none | none | E.D. Pa. | reversed |
| National Bank of Athens v. Shackelford | 81 (1915) | McReynolds | none | none | 5th Cir. | affirmed |
| Parker v. Monroig | 83 (1915) | White | none | none | D.P.R. | affirmed |
| United States v. New York and Porto Rico Steamship Company | 88 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | 2d Cir. | reversed |
| Gsell v. Insular Collector of Customs | 93 (1915) | Day | none | none | Phil. | dismissed |
| Southern Railroad Company v. Campbell | 99 (1915) | Hughes | none | none | S.C. | affirmed |
| Provident Savings Life Assurance Society v. Kentucky | 103 (1915) | Hughes | none | none | Ky. | reversed |
| United States v. Freeman | 117 (1915) | VanDevanter | none | none | D. Kan. | reversed |
| Glenwood Light and Water Company v. Mutual Light, Heat and Power Company | 121 (1915) | Pitney | none | none | D. Colo. | reversed |
| Morris Canal and Banking Company v. Baird | 126 (1915) | McReynolds | none | none | N.J. | affirmed |
| Mellon Company v. McCafferty | 134 (1915) | White | none | none | Okla. | dismissed |
| Sui v. McCoy | 139 (1915) | White | none | none | Phil. | affirmed |
| Norton v. Whiteside | 144 (1915) | White | none | none | 8th Cir. | dismissed |
| Fireball Gas Tank and Illuminating Company v. Commercial Acetylene Company | 156 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | 8th Cir. | affirmed |
| Porter v. Wilson | 170 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | Okla. | affirmed |
| Heim v. McCall | 175 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | N.Y. | affirmed |
| Crane v. New York | 195 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | N.Y. Ct. Sp. Sess. | affirmed |
| Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company v. Burnette | 199 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | N.C. | reversed |
| New Orleans-Belize Royal Mail and Central American Steamship Company, Ltd. v. United States | 202 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| Phillip Wagner, Inc. v. Leser | 207 (1915) | Day | none | none | Md. | affirmed |
| William Cramp and Sons Ship and Engine Building Company v. United States | 221 (1915) | Day | none | McKenna | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| Johnson v. Wells Fargo and Company | 234 (1915) | Day | none | none | 8th Cir. | affirmed |
| O'Neill v. Leamer | 244 (1915) | Hughes | none | none | Neb. | affirmed |
| Houck v. Little River Drainage District | 254 (1915) | Hughes | none | none | Mo. | affirmed |
| Bailey v. Baker Ice Machine Company | 268 (1915) | VanDevanter | none | none | 8th Cir. | affirmed |
| Phoenix Railroad Company v. Geary | 277 (1915) | Pitney | none | none | D. Ariz. | affirmed |
| Elzaburu v. Chaves | 283 (1915) | Pitney | none | none | P.R. | affirmed |
| De Villanueva v. Villanueva | 293 (1915) | White | none | none | Phil. | affirmed |
| Mackenzie v. Hare | 299 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | Cal. | affirmed |
| Town of Essex v. New England Telegraph Company of Massachusetts | 313 (1915) | McReynolds | none | none | D. Mass. | affirmed |
| Provo Bench Canal and Irrigation Company v. Tanner | 323 (1915) | McReynolds | none | none | Utah | affirmed |
| Weber v. Freed | 325 (1915) | White | none | none | D.N.J. | affirmed |
| Texas and Pacific Railroad Company v. Bigger | 330 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | 5th Cir. | affirmed |
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company v. Swearingen | 339 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | 5th Cir. | reversed |
| United States v. Normile | 344 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | Ct. Cl. | reversed |
| Great Northern Railroad Company v. Otos | 349 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | Minn. | affirmed |
| Seaboard Air Line Railroad Company v. Koennecke | 352 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | S.C. | affirmed |
| Christianson v. King County | 356 (1915) | Hughes | none | none | 9th Cir. | affirmed |
| Robert Moody and Son v. Century Savings Bank | 374 (1915) | VanDevanter | none | none | 8th Cir. | affirmed |
| Northern Pacific Railroad Company v. Concannon | 382 (1915) | White | none | none | Wash. | reversed |
| Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company v. Glenn | 388 (1915) | White | none | none | S.C. | affirmed |
| Hadacheck v. Sebastian | 394 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | Cal. | affirmed |
| Williams v. Johnson | 414 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | Okla. | affirmed |
| Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company v. Whiteaker | 421 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | Mo. | affirmed |
| Miller v. Strahl | 426 (1915) | McKenna | none | none | Neb. | affirmed |
| Ex parte Uppercu | 435 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | D. Mass. | mandamus granted |
| Bi-Metallic Investment Company v. State Board of Equalization of Colorado | 441 (1915) | Holmes | none | none | Colo. | affirmed |
| Dayton Coal and Iron Company, Ltd. v. Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway Company | 446 (1915) | Day | none | none | Tenn. | affirmed |
| Chicago and Alton Railroad Company v. Wagner | 452 (1916) | Hughes | none | none | Ill. | affirmed |
| Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company v. Byrne | 459 (1916) | McReynolds | none | none | Sup. Ct. Terr. Haw. | affirmed |
| Reese v. Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company | 463 (1915) | McReynolds | none | none | 3d Cir. | affirmed |
| United States v. Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien Gesellschaft | 466 (1916) | White | none | none | S.D.N.Y. | reversed |
| Myles Salt Company, Ltd. v. Iberia and St. Mary Drainage District | 478 (1916) | McKenna | none | none | La. | reversed |
| Northwestern Laundry v. City of Des Moines | 486 (1916) | Day | none | none | S.D. Iowa | affirmed |
| Southern Railroad Company v. Lloyd | 496 (1916) | Day | none | none | N.C. | affirmed |
| Hapai v. Brown | 502 (1916) | Holmes | none | none | Sup. Ct. Terr. Haw. | affirmed |
| Hallowell v. Commons | 506 (1916) | Holmes | none | none | 8th Cir. | affirmed |
| Seven Cases of Eckmans Alterative v. United States | 510 (1916) | Hughes | none | none | D. Neb. | affirmed |
| Commercial National Bank of New Orleans v. Canal-Louisiana Bank and Trust Company | 520 (1916) | Hughes | none | none | 5th Cir. | reversed |
| United States v. Ross | 530 (1916) | Hughes | none | none | Ct. Cl. | reversed |
| Moss v. Ramey | 538 (1916) | VanDevanter | none | none | Idaho | affirmed |
| Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company v. Wright | 548 (1916) | VanDevanter | none | none | Neb. | affirmed |
| Shanks v. Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company | 556 (1916) | VanDevanter | none | none | N.Y. Sup. Ct. | affirmed |
| Interstate Amusement Company v. Albert | 560 (1916) | Pitney | none | none | Tenn. | affirmed |
| Home Bond Company v. McChesney | 568 (1916) | Pitney | none | none | 6th Cir. | affirmed |
| Kanawha and Michigan Railroad Company v. Kerse | 576 (1916) | Pitney | none | none | W. Va. Cir. Ct. | affirmed |
| New York Central Railroad Company v. Gray | 583 (1916) | Pitney | none | none | N.Y. Sup. Ct. | affirmed |
| Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company v. Dettlebach | 588 (1916) | Pitney | none | none | Ohio Dist. Ct. App. | reversed |
| Seaboard Air Line Railroad Company v. Horton | 595 (1916) | Pitney | none | none | N.C. | affirmed |
| Basso v. United States | 602 (1916) | McKenna | none | none | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| White v. United States | 608 (1916) | Holmes | none | none | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| Northern Pacific Railroad Company v. Meese | 614 (1916) | McReynolds | none | none | 9th Cir. | reversed |
| Rogers v. Hennepin County | 621 (1916) | McReynolds | none | none | D. Minn. | affirmed |