An example of a Supreme Court case in the civil rights category
An example of a Supreme Court case in the civil rights category is the Dred Scott v. Sanford case, which is commonly known as the Dred Scott case. It is an 1857 case in which a slave in Missouri sued Dred Scott for his freedom. He asserted that he was living in a free zone. In the Supreme Court, Dred lost the case. The court claimed that, under the constitution, Dred was meant to be the domain of his master ("Important Supreme Court Case for Civil Rights"). The court also played a role in the decision of the Missouri Compromise (1821) at the same time, and it claimed that the state was a slave state. However, this case was a landmark ruling of the supreme court of the United States (US) on the constitutional and labor law.
The law held that a "Negro" who was imported in the US and sold as a slave whether free or enslaved could not be termed as an American citizen.
The law held that a "Negro" who was imported in the US and sold as a slave whether free or enslaved could not be termed as an American citizen. As a result, he could not table the case in the US federal court. The law also held that the federal government did not have any power of regulating slave trade in the various national territories which were acquired after the creation of the US ("Important Supreme Court Case for Civil Rights"). In a 7-2 decision of the case involving Dred was handled by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney something which had the court deciding the denial of Dred's request. It was the second case which the supreme court suggested that it was an unconstitutional Act of Congress.
Taney hoped that the case would settle down various incidents of slavery, but it vehemently spurred the antislavery elements across the state.
Taney hoped that the case would settle down various incidents of slavery, but it vehemently spurred the antislavery elements across the state. However, most modern legal scholars and contemporary lawyers consider the case as a binding precedent and dictum. As a result, the decision becomes a significant catalyst of the American Civil War, which later gave the African Americans full citizenship. This case implies that slavery in the US was supported by the law something which led to the oppression of the "Negros" and other minority groups around the country. The court decision which led to the civil war, hence the acquiring of full American citizenship shows that the society should always fight for their rights if worthy.
Works Cited
"Important Supreme Court Case for Civil Rights." The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, civilrights.org/judiciary/federal-court-system/important-supreme-court-cases-civil-rights/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2017.
