Law Day was first commemorated in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in an effort to “celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession” (American Bar Association). It also “marks the nation’s commitment to the rule of law”.
This year’s theme is the 14th Amendment, and how it has transformed American democracy by advancing the rights of all citizens.
“Ratified during Reconstruction a century and a half ago, the 14th Amendment serves as the cornerstone of landmark civil rights legislation, the foundation for numerous federal court decisions protecting fundamental rights, and a source of inspiration for all those who advocate for equal justice under law.” (ABA)
Street Law offers the following resources on the 14th Amendment and relevant Supreme Court case materials:
History
Equal Protection
- Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) — Did a Louisiana law mandating racial segregation on trains violate both the Privileges and Immunities and the Equal Protection Clauses of the 14th Amendment?
- Brown v. Board of Education (1954) — Did the segregation of public education based solely on race violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment?
- Hollingsworth v. Perry (2013) — Does the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause prohibit California from defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman?
- Obergefell v. Hodges and consolidated cases (2015) — Does the 14th Amendment require a state to license same-sex marriages? Does the 14th Amendment require a state to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states?
Affirmative Action
Due Process and Privacy
Incorporation
- Mapp v. Ohio (1961) — May evidence obtained through a search in violation of the 4th Amendment be admitted in a state criminal proceeding? (Does the federal exclusionary rule apply to the states?)
- McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010) — Does the 2nd Amendment right “to keep and bear arms” apply to state and local governments?