US v. Nixon

US Supreme Court decision of 1974 dealing with the extent to which a US president may exercise executive privilege in a criminal investigation. During the Watergate investigations, President Nixon cited this privilege in refusing to produce certain tape recordings that had been subpoenaed by Special Prosecutor Jaworski. The Court ruled unanimously that while the president had certain privileges, they were subject to definition by the judiciary, the final interpreters of the Constitution. According to the Court, given the circumstances of the criminal investigation, Jaworski had the power to overrule presidential autonomy, requiring Nixon to yield the tapes.