Podcast
Questions and Answers
What year was the case tried in the Supreme Court?
What year was the case tried in the Supreme Court?
1886
Who was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time?
Who was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time?
Morrison Waite
Who was the person who sued?
Who was the person who sued?
Lee Yick
Who was Hopkins?
Who was Hopkins?
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How did the Supreme Court rule?
How did the Supreme Court rule?
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What was the significance of the Yick Wo v. Hopkins case?
What was the significance of the Yick Wo v. Hopkins case?
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What was Yick Wo?
What was Yick Wo?
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Why was Yick Wo in trouble with San Francisco?
Why was Yick Wo in trouble with San Francisco?
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What was the legacy of the case?
What was the legacy of the case?
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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.
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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.
