Hodges v. United States | |
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Argued April 23–2, 1906 Decided May 28, 1906 | |
Full case name | Reuben Hodges v. United States |
Citations | 203 U.S. 1 (more) 27 S. Ct. 6; 51 L. Ed. 65 |
Case history | |
Prior | Conviction in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas; demurrer overruled by Jacob Trieber |
Holding | |
The Thirteenth Amendment does not authorize Congress to intervene against racially-motivated interference with labor contracts. | |
Court membership | |
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Case opinions | |
Majority | Brewer, joined by Fuller, Brown, White, Peckham, McKenna, Holmes |
Dissent | Harlan, joined by Day |
Laws applied | |
18 U.S.C. § 241, 42 U.S.C. § 1981 | |
Overruled by | |
Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co., 392 U.S. 409 (1968)[1] |
Hodges v. United States, 203 U.S. 1 (1906), was a decision by the United States Supreme Court limiting the power of Congress to make laws under the Thirteenth Amendment. Three white men had been convicted in the Eastern Arkansas District Court for conspiring against black sawmill workers.
The statute that was used to convict the men prohibits conspiracy to deprive American citizens of their constitutional liberties, including the right to make contracts. The Supreme Court overturned the conviction, holding that Congress did not have the right to intervene against racially-motivated interference with labor contracts.