THIS DAY AT LAW
Today in legal history...

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Supreme Court ordered dissolution of Standard Oil

On May 15, 1911, the US Supreme Court found Standard Oil in violation of the Sherman Act and ordered its dissolution.

John D. Rpckefeller, head of the Standard Oil Trust

Read Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey v. U.S.



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Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Delegates gathered in Philadelphia for the Constitutional Convention

On May 14, 1787, delegates from each state begin to arrive in Philadelphia for the Constitutional Convention.



The last delegates arrived 10 days later, on May 24. Learn more about the Constitutional Convention.



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Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Federal government denied funding to segregated school districts

On May 13, 1966, the US federal government took its first action against violators of the desegregation guidelines of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by denying federal education funding for 12 segregated Southern school districts.



Learn more about school desegregation and equal educational opportunity from the national civil rights coalition Civilrights.org.



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Monday, May 12, 2008

Justice Harry A. Blackmun confirmed

On May 12, 1970, the Senate unanimously confirmed the appointment of Harry A. Blackmun to the United States Supreme Court.



Justice Blackmun died in 1999, and was remembered on JURIST by several of his former law clerks. The Harry A. Blackmun Papers were released in 2004 by the Library of Congress.



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Sunday, May 11, 2008

Massachusetts repealed law banning Christmas

On May 11, 1682, the Massachusetts General Court repealed two laws that had banned the celebration of Christmas and had authorized capital punishment for expelled Quakers returning to the colony.

Quakers being led to execution in 17th century Massachusetts



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Saturday, May 10, 2008

Supreme Court ruled corporations due equal protection rights

On May 10, 1886, the US Supreme Court ruled in Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Company that corporations were "persons" within the terms of the Fourteenth Amendment, and therefore were due rights of equal protection under state law.

Old Supreme Court chamber in the US Capitol



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Friday, May 09, 2008

House Judiciary Committee opened impeachment hearings against Richard Nixon

On May 9, 1974, the US House Judiciary Committee chaired by Rep. Peter Rodino (D-NJ) opened hearings into the possible impeachment of President Richard Nixon in connection with the Watergate scandal.



The Committee voted to impeach Nixon on three counts on July 30. Chairman Rodino died in 2005 at his home in New Jersey. He was 95.



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LATEST DAYS

 Supreme Court ordered dissolution of Standard Oil
May 15, 2008

 Delegates gathered in Philadelphia for the Constitutional Convention
May 14, 2008

 Federal government denied funding to segregated school districts
May 13, 2008

 Justice Harry A. Blackmun confirmed
May 12, 2008

 Massachusetts repealed law banning Christmas
May 11, 2008

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