United States v. Ballard
United States Supreme Court
322 U.S. 78 (1944)
Relevant factsFree
The Ballards (defendants) were indicted for mail fraud based on soliciting funds for their "I Am" religious movement by claiming supernatural healing powers the government alleged they knew to be false; the trial court instructed the jury it could not consider whether the Ballards' religious claims were actually true, only whether they sincerely believed them, and the Ballards were convicted, but the court of appeals reversed, prompting Supreme Court review.
IssueFree
Whether, under the First Amendment, an indictment for fraud can question the truth of the defendants' religious beliefs.