Lochner v. New York facts for kids
Lochner v. New York was an important case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1905. The Court decided that a New York State law was against the Constitution. This law had limited how many hours bakers could work each week. The Supreme Court said that people have a right to make agreements (called contracts) about their work. This right is part of their "liberty" and is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. This means people generally have the right to agree on buying and selling their work (labor).
This decision was very debated at the time. It made the Supreme Court often disagree with lawmakers for more than 30 years. During this time, the Court often canceled laws that tried to control working conditions. They said these laws went against the "due process clause" of the Fourteenth Amendment. This period in history is now known as the "Lochner Era," named after this very case.
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What Was Lochner v. New York?
This case was about whether the government could limit how many hours people worked. The Supreme Court said that the government could not do this in the case of bakers. They believed it stopped people from having the freedom to make their own work agreements.
Why Was This Case Important?
Lochner v. New York is important for several reasons:
- It showed how the Supreme Court could use the Fourteenth Amendment to protect people's economic freedoms.
- It started a period (the "Lochner Era") where the Court often stopped laws that regulated businesses and working conditions.
- It led to many debates about how much the government should be able to control businesses and workers.
Background of the Case
The story of Lochner v. New York began with a law in New York State.
The Bakershop Act
In 1895, New York State passed a law called the Bakershop Act. This law said that bakers could not work more than 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week. This law was supported by the Journeymen Bakers’ Union. They wanted to limit the long hours bakers had to work.
Baking was a tough job back then. Bakers often faced dangers like:
- Lots of dust in the air.
- Fumes from ovens and ingredients.
- Extreme heat from the ovens.
Because of these risks, the union wanted to make working conditions safer. Their efforts helped get the Bakershop Act signed into law by the Governor of New York in May 1895.
Joseph Lochner's Challenge
Joseph Lochner owned a bakery in Utica, New York. He found it hard to run his business with the new law. He and his bakers often needed to work more than 60 hours a week. Lochner was charged with breaking this state law.
Lochner decided to fight the charge. He believed the law was unconstitutional because it took away his "civil liberties." He felt it violated his right to "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness," especially his freedom to make business agreements. The case reached the Supreme Court. It was argued on February 23rd and the decision was made on April 17, 1905. This case is still seen as one of the most important in United States legal history.
Images for kids
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Justice Rufus W. Peckham, the author of the majority opinion in Lochner
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Justice John Marshall Harlan, who authored the first dissent in Lochner.
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Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., who wrote the second dissent in Lochner.
