Plessy+v+Ferguson


 * __Plessy V. Ferguson__ **
 * Argued: April 13, 1896 **
 * Decided: May 18, 1896 **

//**A Case Involving**//: __ The segregation of blacks under the separate but equal provision of private services mandated by state government made constituation under the equal protection clause. __

__The state of Louisiana enacted a law that required the segregation of railway vehicles for blacks and whites. In 1892 Homer Adolph Plessy an elderly black man took a seat in the "white only" cars. When asked to move he refused and was arrested.__ __ Racial inequality seen by the separate but equal ideology. __
 * //Background:// **
 * //Main Issue Presented to the Court// **

//**Case before Court**// Plessy: Argued that the state law denied him of his rights under the 13th/14th amendments under the Constitution. State of Louisiana/ Judge Ferguson: Argued that Louisiana had the right to regulate railroad companies within state boundaries thus Plessy had broken a law.


 * //Decision: 7// **__ votes for Ferguson, 1 votes against __

All justices but Harlan.
 * //Majority reasons:// **

The court ruled that due to the Due Process clause in the 14th Amendments, a woman's right to have privacy when it came to her abortion was upheld. Also they ruled that a woman was given total control over the pregnancy during the first trimesters. The states still had the ability to regulate abortions based on the term of the fetus but still had to fully comply with any abortion that would preserve the life or health of the mother.

// **Dissents reasons:** // John Marshall Harlan: Still didn't see blacks as being equals but stated that he felt the Chinese who were as similar minorities as just like the blacks were still able to ride the cars which he felt was wrong. He also felt that it could cause more uprisings/problems and he was right as it did later on.

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