Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

430 F.2d 1316

Docket No. 25367.

United States v. Kolster

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Decided Aug. 17, 1970.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals · decided 1970-08-17

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently August 1970

1 federal appellate ·

2 counsel of record

Applies 50 U.S.C. § 3806 · 50 U.S.C. § 3811

Relies on Welsh II v. United States · United States v. French

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Opinion by (per_curiam) · Decided 1970-08-17

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1Carol Hughes (argued), Manzella & Flenniken, San Francisco, Cal., for defendant, appellant.

¶2Jerry Cimmett (argued), Asst. U. S. Atty., James L. Browning, U. S. Atty., F. Steele Langford, and Jerrold M. La-dar, Asst. U. S. Attys., for plaintiff, ap-pellee.

¶3Before JERTBERG, DUNIWAY and TRASK, Circuit Judges.

¶4PER CURIAM:

¶5Kolster refused to be inducted into the armed forces, an offense under 50 U.S.C. App. § 462. He had applied to his local Selective Service Board for classification as a conscientious objector, but his application was rejected both by the Local Board and by the Appeal Board. Neither board stated any reasons for its action.

¶6In his SSS form 150 and in letters, Kol-ster made out a prima facie case for classification as a conscientious objector. His case is stronger than that of the appellant in Welsh v. United States, 1970, 398 U.S. 333, 90 S.Ct. 1792, 26 L.Ed.2d 308, in that Kolster expressed belief in a Supreme Being, and based his views against war upon Christian principles. There is no evidence whatever in the record that would provide a basis in fact for a finding that Kolster’s beliefs are not sincere. The government makes no claim that they are not sincere. The government’s case is based upon the theory that Kolster’s beliefs are political, sociological, or philosophical, or a merely personal moral code rather than religious. (50 U.S.C. App. § 456(j)). Whatever support there may have been for the government’s position in the decisions prior to Welsh, that support has now vanished. See also United States v. French, 9 Cir., 1970, 429 F.2d 391.

¶7Reversed.

/430/f2d/1316 · .json · Public domain