Caminetti v. U.S.; Diggs v. U.S.; Hays v. U.S.

Caminetti, Diggs, and Hays (defendants) were each convicted under the White Slave Traffic Act for transporting women across state lines for prostitution or other immoral purposes, without any commercial motive alleged in any of the three cases; the statute's plain text banned such interstate transport for immoral purposes generally, without requiring commercial gain. The men argued on appeal that the statute, despite its broad wording, should be read as limited to commercial conduct given its title and legislative history; the lower appellate courts affirmed each conviction, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari and consolidated the cases.