Osborn v. Bank of the United States
(1824)
Sections
Case Podcast
Listen to an audio breakdown of Osborn v. Bank of the United States.
Rule of Law:
The Legal Principle
This section distills the key legal rule established or applied by the court—the one-liner you'll want to remember for exams.
Facts:
- In 1819, the Ohio legislature passed an act to levy an annual tax of $50,000 on each office of the Bank of the United States operating within the state.
- The Bank of the United States was a corporation chartered by the United States Congress to act as a fiscal agent for the federal government.
- Ralph Osborn, the Auditor of the State of Ohio, was responsible for enforcing the tax and indicated his intent to do so.
- Despite a federal court order meant to prevent the tax collection, Osborn's agent, John L. Harper, forcibly entered the Bank's branch in Chillicothe, Ohio.
- Harper seized $100,000 in specie and banknotes from the Bank's vault.
- Harper delivered $98,000 of the seized money to H. M. Currie, the Treasurer of Ohio, who kept it separate from other state funds.
- Currie later transferred the segregated funds to his successor as treasurer, Samuel Sullivan.
Procedural Posture:
How It Got Here
Understand the case's journey through the courts—who sued whom, what happened at trial, and why it ended up on appeal.
Issue:
Legal Question at Stake
This section breaks down the central legal question the court had to answer, written in plain language so you can quickly grasp what's being decided.
Opinions:
Majority, Concurrences & Dissents
Read clear summaries of each judge's reasoning—the majority holding, any concurrences, and dissenting views—so you understand all perspectives.
Analysis:
Why This Case Matters
Get the bigger picture—how this case fits into the legal landscape, its lasting impact, and the key takeaways for your class discussion.
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