Minimum Competence

This Day in Legal History: Frederic Maitland Born On May 28, 1850, Frederic William Maitland, a prominent English legal historian, was born. Maitland is renowned for his contributions to the study of English legal history. He co-authored the seminal work "The History of English Law Before the Time of Edward I" with Sir Frederick Pollock. This book, published in 1895, remains a fundamental referenc...

This Day in Legal History: Act of Toleration Enacted On May 24, 1689, the Parliament of England enacted the Act of Toleration, a pivotal law that granted religious freedom to English Protestants. This legislation marked a significant shift in England's religious landscape, as it allowed non-Anglican Protestants, such as Baptists and Congregationalists, to practice their faith without fear of perse...

This Day in Legal History: South Carolina Ratified the US Constitution   On May 23, 1788, South Carolina ratified the United States Constitution, marking its official entry as the eighth state in the newly formed union. This significant event took place amidst debates and conventions where federalists and anti-federalists argued over the merits and drawbacks of the proposed Constitution. South Car...

This Day in Legal History: Grant Signs the General Amnesty Act On May 22, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the General Amnesty Act, marking a significant moment in the post-Civil War reconstruction era. This legislation restored voting rights to most former Confederate rebels who had been disenfranchised under the Fourteenth Amendment as a punishment for their participation in the rebellion...

This Day in Legal History: American Red Cross Founded On this day in legal history, May 21, 1881, Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross. Inspired by her experiences providing care to soldiers during the Civil War and influenced by the International Red Cross in Europe, Barton established the organization to offer emergency assistance, disaster relief, and education in the United States. The...

This Day in Legal History: Free Exercise Clause Applies to States On this day, May 20, in 1940, the United States Supreme Court made a landmark decision in the case of Cantwell v. Connecticut , significantly shaping the landscape of religious freedom in America. The Court held that the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, which guarantees individuals the right to practice their religion fr...

This Day in Legal History: Constitution of Norway Signed On this day, May 17, in 1814, the Constitution of Norway was signed, marking a pivotal moment in the country's history. This significant event established Norway as an independent kingdom, following centuries of union with Denmark. The constitution was drafted at Eidsvoll by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly, composed of prominent figures w...

This Day in Legal History: President Johnson Acquitted On May 16, 1868, a significant moment in U.S. legal and political history occurred when President Andrew Johnson was acquitted in his impeachment trial. Johnson, who had ascended to the presidency following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, was charged with high crimes and misdemeanors, primarily stemming from his violations of the Tenure...

This Day in Legal History: Standard Oil Dissolved On this day in legal history, May 15, 1911, the United States Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision that significantly altered the landscape of American business practices. The case in question was Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey v. United States , where the Court found Standard Oil guilty of monopolistic practices in violation of the Sherman...

This Day in Legal History: Constitutional Convention Assembles On May 14, 1787, a pivotal moment unfolded in American history as delegates from each state began to gather in Philadelphia for what would be known as the Constitutional Convention. This assembly was critical in shaping the nation's future, aimed at addressing the deficiencies of the Articles of Confederation—the loose framework that i...

This Day in Legal History: Cutting Funding to Segregated Schools On May 13, 1966, a significant moment in the enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 unfolded, marking a pivotal step in the U.S. government's commitment to desegregation in education. This action targeted twelve segregated Southern school districts, which were found to be in violation of the federal desegregation guidelines esta...

This Day in Legal History: Corporations Are “Persons” Under 14th Amendment On May 10, 1886, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision in the case of Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Company , fundamentally altering the legal landscape for corporations in the United States. This ruling established that corporations were to be considered "persons" under the Fourteenth Amend...

This Day in Legal History: Impeachment Hearings Against Nixon On May 9, 1974, a significant event unfolded in the political and legal history of the United States as the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Representative Peter Rodino (D-NJ), initiated impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon. This marked a crucial point in the Watergate scandal, an episode that had gripped the nation...

This Day in Legal History: Smallpox Eradicated On May 8, 1980, a landmark moment in public health and legal history was achieved when the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared smallpox eradicated. This declaration came in the form of Resolution WHA33.3, marking an unprecedented victory in the battle against infectious diseases. Smallpox, a devastating disease known for its brutal imp...

This Day in Legal History: 27th Amendment Ratified On May 7, 1992, a significant addition was made to the United States Constitution with the ratification of the Twenty-seventh Amendment. This amendment, which prohibits any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress from taking effect until the start of the next set of terms of office for Representatives, addresses concerns...

This Day in Legal History: On May 6, 1882, a pivotal moment in U.S. immigration history occurred with the signing of the Chinese Exclusion Act by President Chester A. Arthur. This federal law marked the first and only time that the United States explicitly barred a specific ethnic or national group from immigrating to the country, specifically targeting Chinese laborers. The Act not only prevented...

This Day in Legal History: Racist Restrictive Covenants Struck Down On May 3, 1948, a significant legal decision was rendered by the United States Supreme Court, fundamentally altering the landscape of civil rights and property law. The case, Shelley v. Kraemer , addressed the pernicious practice of racially-restrictive covenants in real estate. These covenants were agreements embedded in the deed...

This Day in Legal History: Hoover Dead On this day, May 2, in 1972, J. Edgar Hoover, the controversial and influential Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), passed away at the age of 77. Hoover had been at the helm of the FBI since 1924, dramatically shaping the agency's direction and methods for nearly half a century. His tenure began during the tumultuous era of Prohibition when...

This Day in Legal History: First Union Formed On May 1, 1794, a pivotal development in labor rights history occurred in Philadelphia with the formation of the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers. This organization, consisting of skilled shoemakers, marks the establishment of the first trade union in the United States. The union was created as a response to the increasingly difficult economic...

This Day in Legal History: Organization of American States Established On this day, April 30, in 1948, a significant event in the realm of international law and diplomacy occurred with the establishment of the Organization of American States (OAS). This was formalized through the signing of the Charter of the Organization of American States during the Ninth International Conference of American Sta...

This Day in Legal History: Oliver Ellsworth Born On this day in legal history, April 29 marks the birth of Oliver Ellsworth in 1745, in Windsor, Connecticut. A pivotal figure in early American jurisprudence, Ellsworth's contributions to the United States legal system are profound and lasting. As the third Chief Justice of the United States, a position he assumed in 1796, Ellsworth helped shape the...

This Day in Legal History: WIPO Established On April 26, 1970, a significant advancement in the protection and management of intellectual property took place with the establishment of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This marked the enforcement of the Convention Establishing WIPO, making it one of the specialized agencies under the United Nations focused on intellectual propert...

This Day in Legal History: First French Execution by Guillotine On April 25, 1792, a significant event in the history of capital punishment occurred in France: the first execution by guillotine. The individual subjected to this new method was Nicolas-Jacques Pelletier, a highwayman known for his criminal activities. The guillotine was introduced as a more humane method of execution, believed to of...

This Day in Legal History: WWI German Use of Chemical Weapons on Canadian Troops On April 24, 1915, during the Second Battle of Ypres in World War I, German forces launched one of the first large-scale chemical weapon attacks in history. This attack targeted Canadian troops stationed near the town of Ypres in Belgium. The Germans released chlorine gas, which spread over the Allied trenches, causin...

This Day in Legal History: Sirhan Sirhan Sentenced to Death On this day in legal history, April 23, 1969, Sirhan Sirhan was sentenced to death for the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, a pivotal moment in American political and legal narratives. Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian immigrant, was convicted of murdering Kennedy on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, Califor...