McDonnell v. United States | |
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Argued April 27, 2016 Decided June 27, 2016 |
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Full case name | Robert F. McDonnell, Petitioner v. United States |
Docket nos. | 15–474 |
Citations | 579 U.S. ___ (more) |
Opinion announcement | Opinion announcement |
Holding | |
Petitioner's conviction was vacated because the jury was not properly instructed on the meaning of "official act" within the federal bribery statutes; the definition does not include merely setting up a meeting, calling another public official, or hosting an event. | |
Court membership | |
Case opinions | |
Majority | Roberts, joined by unanimous |
Laws applied | |
Hobbs Act, Honest services fraud |
McDonnell v. United States, 579 U.S. ___ (2016), was a United States Supreme Court case concerning the appeal of former Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell's conviction under the Hobbs Act. At issue on appeal was whether the definition of "official act" within the federal bribery statutes encompassed the actions for which McDonnell had been convicted, and whether the jury had been properly instructed on this definition at trial.
Chief Justice John Roberts authored the unanimous opinion. McDonnell's conviction was vacated on the grounds that the meaning of "official act" does not include merely setting up a meeting, calling another public official, or hosting an event.