Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Super Market of Massachusetts, Inc. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Super Market of Massachusetts, Inc. |
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| Argued December 7–8, 1960 Decided May 29, 1961 |
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| Full case name | Gallagher, Chief of Police of Springfield, Massachusetts, et al. v. Crown Kosher Super Market of Massachusetts, Inc., et al. |
| Citations | 366 U.S. 617 (more)
81 S. Ct. 1122; 6 L. Ed. 2d 536; 1961 U.S. LEXIS 1060; 42 Lab. Cas. (CCH) ¶ 50,261; 17 Ohio Op. 2d 195
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| Prior history | Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts |
| Holding | |
| A state law banning Sunday selling is constitutional even when applied to a kosher butcher. | |
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| Case opinions | |
| Plurality | Warren, joined by Black, Clark, Whittaker |
| Concurrence | Frankfurter, joined by Harlan |
| Dissent | Douglas |
| Dissent | Brennan, Stewart |
Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Super Market of Massachusetts, Inc. was an important case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1961. This case was about whether a kosher butcher shop had to follow state laws that said stores could not sell things on Sundays. The Supreme Court decided that the store did have to follow these laws.
Why the Case Happened
The Crown Kosher Super Market was owned by people who followed Orthodox Judaism. This religion has special rules. For example, they do not shop or sell anything from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday. This time is called Shabbat. They also only eat kosher food.
The store used to be open on Sundays. They did about one-third of their weekly business on that day. Because of their religion, they closed from Friday evening until Saturday evening. They said it was too hard to make enough money if they also closed on Sunday. Many of their customers would not be able to buy meat from Friday afternoon until Monday.
However, a law in Massachusetts said that most businesses had to be closed on Sundays. This law was called a "Sunday Closing Law." The store owners went to a Federal District Court to say that parts of this law were unconstitutional. They argued that the law went against their religious freedom.
The Court's Decision
The Supreme Court looked at the case. They decided that the state law was allowed. Six justices agreed with this decision, and three disagreed.
The Court said that Sunday laws are not just about religion. They help everyone by giving people a day for rest and quiet. This helps with public Health, peace, and good order in society. The Court explained that these laws are "civil in character," meaning they are for society, not just for one religion.
The store owners and their customers also argued that the law made it hard for them to practice their religion. They said they could not buy kosher food from Friday until Monday. The rabbis also said it made it harder to check the kosher meat.
The Court looked at a similar case called Braunfeld v. Brown. In that case, the Court had already decided that a law like this was okay. So, the Supreme Court said that the arguments made by the Crown Kosher Super Market were not strong enough to change the law.
Justices William O. Douglas, William J. Brennan, Jr., and Potter Stewart disagreed with the Court's decision. They thought the law should not apply to the kosher market.
What Happened Next
This case was one of four important cases decided in 1961. All four cases said that "blue laws," or laws that ban certain activities on Sundays, were constitutional. The other cases were Braunfeld v. Brown, Two Guys from Harrison-Allentown, Inc., v. McGinley, and McGowan v. Maryland.
