Yick Wo v. Hopkins Case Overview

Questions and Answers

What year was the case tried in the Supreme Court?

1886

Who was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time?

Morrison Waite

Who was the person who sued?

Lee Yick

Who was Hopkins?

Hopkins was the sheriff who enforced the San Francisco city ordinance that affected Yick. Signup and view all the answers

How did the Supreme Court rule?

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of Mr. Yick. Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the Yick Wo v. Hopkins case?

It was the first case where the Supreme Court ruled that a law race-neutral in appearance, but prejudicially administered, infringes on the Equal Protection Clause. Signup and view all the answers

What was Yick Wo?

Yick Wo was a laundry facility owned by Lee Yick. Signup and view all the answers

Why was Yick Wo in trouble with San Francisco?

He continued to operate his facility in a wooden building despite the ordinance prohibiting it. Signup and view all the answers

What was the legacy of the case?

The case's legacy was soon outweighed by ruling in favor of discriminatory practices and the 'separate but equal' doctrine. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Case Overview

The case Yick Wo v. Hopkins was tried in the Supreme Court in 1886.
Chief Justice Morrison Waite presided over the Supreme Court during this case.
Lee Yick was the plaintiff, who owned a laundry facility.

Parties Involved

Hopkins, the defendant, was the sheriff enforcing a San Francisco city ordinance affecting Yick Wo's business.

Supreme Court Ruling

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of Lee Yick.
The ruling stated that the administration of the statute discriminated against Yick Wo, negating the need to evaluate the ordinance's legality.

Significance of the Case

This was the first instance where the Supreme Court determined that a law appearing neutral but implemented prejudicially violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Background of Yick Wo

Yick Wo operated a laundry facility in a wooden building for twenty-two years before the legal troubles arose.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors mandated that he could not continue operating in such a structure.

Defiance Against Ordinances

Despite the mandate, Yick continued to run his laundry and refused to pay associated fines.

Legacy of the Case

Initially, the legacy of Yick Wo v. Hopkins appeared insignificant.
The Court later ruled in favor of discriminatory practices, reinforcing doctrines like "separate but equal" and supporting Jim Crow Laws.

Description

Explore the pivotal Supreme Court case of Yick Wo v. Hopkins, which occurred in 1886. The ruling emphasized the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, highlighting the impact of a seemingly neutral law applied discriminatorily. Learn about the key players, the court's decision, and its significance in legal history.