This Day in Legal History: Henderson v. United States Decided On June 5, 1950, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Henderson v. United States, 339 U.S. 816 (1950), a significant civil rights ruling concerning racial segregation in interstate transportation. Elmer W. Henderson, an African American passenger, had been denied equal …

This Day in Legal History: 19th Amendment Passed in Senate On June 4, 1919, the U.S. Congress passed the 19th Amendment, marking a turning point in American constitutional and civil rights history. The amendment stated simply that the right to vote "shall not be denied or abridged... on account of sex," legally enfranchising millions of women. The …

This Day in Legal History: National Defense Act On June 3, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Defense Act into law, marking a major shift in American military and legal policy. Passed amid growing tensions related to World War I, the Act dramatically expanded the U.S. Army and strengthened the National Guard, officially integrating …

This Day in Legal History: Timothy McVeigh Convicted On June 2, 1997, Timothy McVeigh was convicted by a federal jury for his role in the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history at the time—the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The attack killed 168 people, including 19 children, and injured hundred…

This Day in Legal History: Trump Guilty on All Counts On this day in legal history, May 30, 2024, President Donald J. Trump was convicted on all 34 felony counts in a criminal trial related to a hush money scheme during the 2016 presidential campaign. The case centered on falsified business records used to conceal payments made to adult film actres…

This Day in Legal History: The Killing of Maximum John On May 29, 1979, U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. was assassinated outside his home in San Antonio, Texas. Nicknamed “Maximum John” for his reputation of handing down the harshest possible sentences in drug-related cases, Wood had become a prominent figure in the federal judiciary’s war on …

This Day in Legal History: Frederic William Maitland Born On this day in legal history, May 28, 1850, Frederic William Maitland was born in London. Maitland would go on to become one of the most influential legal historians of the 19th century, widely regarded as the father of modern English legal history. Educated at Eton and Trinity College, Camb…

This Day in Legal History: Schecter Poultry Corp Decided On May 27, 1935, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, delivering a major blow to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. In a unanimous ruling, the Court struck down the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA), a cornerstone…

This Day in Legal History: Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in Ireland On May 23, 2015, Ireland became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote, marking a historic shift in both national and global legal landscapes. The referendum asked voters whether the Constitution should be amended to allow marriage regardl…

This Day in Legal History: Abraham Lincoln, Inventor On May 22, 1849, Abraham Lincoln was awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,469 for an invention designed to lift boats over shoals and other obstacles in shallow waterways. The device involved a system of bellows attached to the hull of a boat, which could be inflated to lift the vessel over obstructions. Li…

This Day in Legal History: House of Representatives Passes 19th Amendment On this day in legal history, May 21, 1919, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. The amendment stated simply: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by t…

This Day in Legal History: Blue Jeans Patented On May 20, 1873, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Patent No. 139,121 to Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss for an innovation that would revolutionize American workwear and fashion: the use of copper rivets to reinforce the stress points on men's work pants. Davis, a tailor from Reno, Nevada, orig…

This Day in Legal History: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Ratified On May 19, 1848, Mexico formally ratified the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, officially bringing an end to the Mexican-American War. Signed earlier that year on February 2, the treaty had already been ratified by the United States, but it required approval from both nations to take effec…

This Day in Legal History: SCOTUS Upholds CFPB Funding Structure On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major ruling in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Community Financial Services Association of America, Ltd., upholding the constitutionality of the CFPB’s funding structure. In a 7–2 decision, the Court held that the agency’s f…

This Day in Legal History: Standard Oil Breaks Up On May 15, 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey v. United States, finding that Standard Oil had violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by engaging in monopolistic practices. The Court unanimously ruled that Standard Oil’s dominance over the oil indust…

This Day in Legal History: Arrival of Constitutional Delegates On May 14, 1787, delegates from several states began arriving in Philadelphia for what would become the Constitutional Convention, a pivotal moment in American legal history. Originally convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, the gathering quickly evolved into a full-scale eff…

This Day in Legal History: Brady v. Maryland On May 13, 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Brady v. Maryland, fundamentally reshaping criminal procedure and the obligations of prosecutors. The case involved John Brady, who was convicted of murder in Maryland state court. Although he admitted involvement, he claimed he did no…

This Day in Legal History: Harry Blackmun Confirmed to SCOTUS On May 12, 1970, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Judge Harry A. Blackmun to the Supreme Court, filling the vacancy left by Justice Abe Fortas. Nominated by President Richard Nixon, Blackmun had previously served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and was considered…

This Day in Legal History: House Judiciary Committee Impeachment Hearings on Nixon On May 9, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee officially opened its impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon, marking a critical escalation in the fallout from the Watergate scandal. Chaired by Representative Peter Rodino of New Jersey, the committee conv…

This Day in Legal History: Petition of Right On May 8, 1628, the English Parliament formally presented the Petition of Right to King Charles I, marking a key moment in the development of constitutional law and the rule of law in England. This pivotal document emerged in response to growing discontent over the king’s use of extrajudicial practices—m…

This Day in Legal History: Salmon P. Chase Dies On May 7, 1873, Salmon P. Chase—former Chief Justice of the United States and one of the most prominent legal minds of his generation—died at the age of 65. Chase was a towering figure in antebellum legal and political life, best known for his ardent antislavery positions and constitutional rigor. A f…

This Day in Legal History: Civil Rights Act of 1960 On May 6, 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1960 into law, marking a cautious but critical step forward in the long legal battle over voting rights in America. The Act was designed to address the persistent and systemic barriers that prevented African Americans, p…

This Day in Legal History: John T. Scopes Arrested On May 5, 1925, John T. Scopes, a 24-year-old high school science teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, was arrested for violating the state's Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of human evolution in public schools. His arrest set in motion one of the most famous trials in American history: the Scop…

This Day in Legal History: Louisiana Adopts State Constitution, McCarthy Dies, and Birmingham Campaign On May 2, 1939, Louisiana adopted its current state constitution, known as the Louisiana Constitution of 1921, which at the time marked a significant overhaul of state governance. Though originally adopted in 1921, it underwent critical amendments…

This Day in Legal History: “Law Day” is Born On this day in 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued a proclamation that did more than just slap a new label on the calendar—it attempted to reframe the ideological narrative of the Cold War itself. With Presidential Proclamation 3221, Eisenhower officially designated May 1 as Law Day, a symbolic c…

This Day in Legal History: Louisiana Purchase On this day in legal history, April 30, 1803, the United States signed the Louisiana Purchase Treaty with France, dramatically altering the legal and territorial landscape of the country. The treaty, signed in Paris by American envoys Robert Livingston and James Monroe, officially transferred approximat…

This Day in Legal History: Los Angeles Riots On April 29, 1992, the Los Angeles riots erupted following the acquittal of four LAPD officers charged with excessive force in the beating of Rodney King, an African American motorist. The brutal 1991 beating had been captured on video and widely broadcast, leading to public outrage. However, when a larg…

This Day in Legal History: Mutiny on the Bounty On April 28, 1789, one of the most famous acts of rebellion at sea occurred aboard the HMS Bounty. Captain William Bligh and 18 loyal crew members were forcibly set adrift in the Pacific Ocean by mutineers led by Fletcher Christian. The incident exposed deep tensions over leadership, working condition…

This Day in Legal History: United States v. Carolene Products Co. Decided On April 25, 1938, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Carolene Products Co., 304 U.S. 144, a seemingly mundane case about a federal law banning the interstate shipment of “filled milk.” But beneath its surface lay one of the most consequential foot…

This Day in Legal History: Easter Rising On April 24, 1916, the Easter Rising erupted in Dublin as Irish republicans launched a bold and ultimately tragic insurrection against British rule. The event, intended to establish an independent Irish Republic, had enormous legal and constitutional consequences that would ripple through British and Irish l…

This Day in Legal History: Sirhan Sirhan Sentenced to Death On April 23, 1969, Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was formally sentenced to death for the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, a tragedy that shook the United States during a period of intense political and social upheaval. Kennedy had been shot on June 5, 1968, just after declaring victory …

This Day in Legal History: Maryland Toleration Act Passed On April 21, 1649, the Maryland Assembly passed the Maryland Toleration Act, a landmark piece of colonial legislation that granted freedom of worship to all Christians in the colony. Also known as the Act Concerning Religion, it was one of the first legal efforts in the American colonies to …

This Day in Legal History: Army-McCarthy Hearings Begin On April 22, 1954, the Army-McCarthy hearings began in Washington, D.C., marking a pivotal moment in American legal and political history. The televised proceedings, which stretched over two months, were convened to investigate conflicting accusations between Senator Joseph McCarthy and the U.…

This Day in Legal History: Plaut v. Spendthrift Farm, Inc. On April 18, 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered its opinion in Plaut v. Spendthrift Farm, Inc., a significant decision reinforcing the constitutional principle of separation of powers. The case arose after Congress enacted legislation requiring federal courts to reopen certain final jud…

This Day in Legal History: Lochner On April 17, 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Lochner v. New York, a landmark case in American constitutional law that struck down a New York law limiting bakery workers to a 60-hour workweek and 10-hour workday. The Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the law violated the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Cla…

This Day in Legal History: Rush-Bagot Treaty On April 16, 1818, the United States Senate ratified the Rush-Bagot Treaty, a landmark agreement with Great Britain that fundamentally reshaped security along the U.S.-Canada border. Negotiated in the aftermath of the War of 1812, the treaty aimed to de-escalate military tensions between the two nations …

This Day in Legal History: President Lincoln Dies On this day in legal history, April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died from a gunshot wound inflicted the night before by actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. The assassination occurred at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., where Lincoln was watching a play with his wife. He w…

This Day in Legal History: First American Anti-Slavery Society Organized On April 14, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the first American society dedicated to the abolition of slavery was organized. Known as the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, it marked a critical early step in the formal anti-slavery movement…

This Day in Legal History: Fair Housing Act On this day in legal history, April 11, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968 into law, a pivotal expansion of civil rights protections in the United States. Commonly referred to as the Fair Housing Act, the legislation was enacted just days after the assassination of Dr. M…

This Day in Legal History: Patent Act of 1790 On April 10, 1790, the United States passed its first patent law, the Patent Act of 1790, laying the groundwork for a legal framework that would protect inventors and promote innovation. This early legislation granted inventors the exclusive right to their discoveries for a period of 14 years, provided …

This Day in Legal History: Senate Approves Alaska Purchase On April 9, 1867, the United States Senate voted to ratify the Treaty with Russia for the Purchase of Alaska, approving the acquisition of the territory for $7.2 million. The deal, championed by Secretary of State William H. Seward, added over 586,000 square miles to U.S. territory. At the …

This Day in Legal History: Seventeenth Amendment On April 8, 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was officially ratified, transforming the way U.S. senators are selected. Prior to this amendment, senators were chosen by state legislatures, a system intended by the framers to preserve state influence within the federal …

This Day in Legal History: Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service On April 7, 1933, the German government enacted the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service, a key early legal step in the Nazi regime’s campaign to marginalize and exclude Jews and political dissenters from public life. The law targeted civil ser…

This Day in Legal History: MLK Assassinated On April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. King had traveled to Memphis to support striking sanitation workers, emphasizing his ongoing commitment to economic justice alongside racial equality…

This Day in Legal History: Smith v. Allwright On April 3, 1944, the United States Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision in Smith v. Allwright, reshaping the landscape of voting rights in the American South. The case centered on Lonnie E. Smith, a Black voter from Texas who was denied the right to vote in the Democratic Party’s primary electio…

This Day in Legal History: MA Enacts Anti-Vietnam War Legislation On April 2, 1970, Massachusetts enacted a bold piece of legislation challenging the U.S. government’s involvement in the Vietnam War. The law stated that no resident of Massachusetts, whether inducted or already serving in the military, could be compelled to participate in armed host…

This Day in Legal History: Federal Minimum Wage Increase On this day in legal history, April 1, 1991, the federal minimum wage in the United States increased to $4.25 per hour. This followed an earlier increase on April 1, 1990, when the wage rose from $3.35 to $3.80 per hour. These back-to-back adjustments marked the first changes to the federal m…

This Day in Legal History: Civilian Conservation Corps Created by FDR On this day in legal history, March 31, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Senate Bill S. 598, creating the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) as part of his sweeping New Deal agenda. The CCC was a rapid-response effort to the economic devastation of the Great Depression…

This Day in Legal History: Wong Kim Ark becomes Wong Kim Ark On March 28, 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, affirming that a child born in the United States to Chinese immigrant parents was a U.S. citizen by virtue of the Fourteenth Amendment. Wong Kim Ark was born in San Francisco in 1873 to …

This Day in Legal History: President Johnson Vetoes Civil Rights Act of 1866 On March 27, 1866, President Andrew Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, an extraordinary move that underscored his deep hostility to racial equality and his resistance to Reconstruction efforts. The bill, which Congress had passed in the wake of the Civil War, aim…