Lochner v. New York: How Judicial Activism Opened Pandora's Box

The Lochner v. New York Case (1905)

• 🏛️ The Supreme Court case of Lochner v. New York in 1905 is highlighted as one of the most controversial decisions in American history.
• 👨‍🍳 Joseph Lochner, a bakery owner, challenged a New York law that limited bakery employees to 60 hours of work per week, arguing it violated his and his workers' right to agree on employment terms.
• ⚖️ New York State invoked its police powers to protect public health, safety, and morals, asserting the law was necessary to prevent worker exploitation.

Substantive Due Process and Judicial Activism

• 📜 Justice Rufus Peckham, writing for the majority, based the decision on the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause, introducing the concept of substantive due process.
• 🔑 Substantive due process implies unwritten rights, like freedom of contract, that the government cannot infringe upon, even if procedural due process is followed.
• 🚫 The Court ruled that the New York law interfered with Lochner's substantive due process rights, as it found no sufficient danger to public health, safety, or morals to justify state interference.

Dissenting Opinions and Long-Term Impact

• 🗣️ Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes dissented, calling the majority's arguments