In the Singer v. United States case of 1944, the Supreme Court ruled that a defendant does not have an absolute right to waive a jury trial in federal criminal cases. The appellants, Morris and Louis Singer, were convicted for conspiring to defraud the United States by obtaining payment on false claims against the government. They requested their case be tried without a jury but both lower courts denied this request and they appealed to the Supreme Court arguing it was their constitutional right under Sixth Amendment guarantees of "the accused shall enjoy...trial by an impartial jury." However, Justice Felix Frankfurter writing for majority held that while defendants can waive many rights (like right to counsel), they cannot insist on being tried by judge alone because it would ignore historical understanding of what constitutes fair trial and could undermine public respect for judicial process.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Singer et al. v. United States argued that the defendants were denied their constitutional right to a fair trial by jury as guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment. The justices believed that it was unconstitutional for a judge to deny a defendant's request for trial by jury and instead impose bench trials, where judges alone decide guilt or innocence. They contended that this decision violated not only the Constitution but also federal law which mandates juries in criminal cases unless waived by both parties involved. Furthermore, they expressed concern about potential bias from judges who might favor prosecution over defense due to their position within government structures, thus undermining impartiality essential for justice delivery system.