---
title: "United States v. Smith"
citation: "United States v. Smith, 331 U.S. 469 (1947)"
authority_id: "AUTH-SCOTUS-US-V-SMITH-331-US-469"
authority_type: "case"
jurisdiction: "federal_nationwide"
precedential_status: "binding_historical_rule_interpretation"
official_url: "https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USREPORTS-331/pdf/USREPORTS-331-469.pdf"
url: "https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/authorities/AUTH-SCOTUS-US-V-SMITH-331-US-469/"
legal_review: "2026-08-24"
links_checked: "2026-10-15"
links_available: 1
links_checked_count: 1
license: "CC BY 4.0"
---

# United States v. Smith

## Holding

The district court could not order a new trial on its own initiative after the then-applicable Rule 33 motion period had expired.

## Material limitations

The opinion construed the 1946 version of Rule 33. Its numerical deadlines and former final-judgment trigger are historical, not current. The current rule now begins with an express defendant-motion requirement.

## Official source and pinpoint

GovInfo official United States Reports, 331 U.S. 469, 469–476: <https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USREPORTS-331/pdf/USREPORTS-331-469.pdf>


## Used in

- [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 33 — New Trial](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/30-plea-and-trial/rule-33-new-trial.md)