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Constitutional Law Keyed to Choper
United States v. Seeger
Citation:
380 U.S. 163 (1965)Facts
Daniel Seeger was classified 1-A for military service in 1953, later receiving student deferment until 1958 when he was reclassified 1-A. In 1957, he claimed exemption as a conscientious objector based on his “religious” belief, though he left the question of belief in a Supreme Being open. He described his position as “belief in and devotion to goodness and virtue for their own sakes, and a religious faith in a purely ethical creed,” citing philosophers like Plato and Spinoza. His sincerity was not questioned, but his claim was denied solely because it was not based on belief in a Supreme Being as required by the statute. After conviction for refusing induction, the Court of Appeals reversed, finding the Supreme Being requirement created an impermissible classification under the Fifth Amendment. The Supreme Court consolidated Seeger’s case with two similar cases (Jakobson and Peter) involving individuals whose conscientious objector claims were also denied.
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