Roberts v. United States Jaycees
Encyclopedia
Roberts v. United States Jaycees, , was an opinion of the Supreme Court of the United States
overturning the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
's application of a Minnesota
antidiscrimination law, which had permitted the United States Junior Chamber
(Jaycees) to exclude women from full membership.
, the Court held that: (1) application of the Minnesota Human Rights Act to compel the Jaycees to accept women as regular members did not abridge either male members' freedom of intimate association or their freedom of expressive association, and (2) the Act was not unconstitutionally vague and overbroad. Several features of the Jaycees, including its large size, unselective membership, and purpose, placed it outside the sphere of relationships protected by the First Amendment. The Court ruled that the State's compelling interest in combating gender discrimination justified the law's impact on the Jaycees' First Amendment rights.
Justice O'Connor
wrote an opinion concurring with parts I and III of the Court's opinion and concurring in the judgment.
Justice Rehnquist
concurred in the judgment without joining either opinion. Justices Burger
and Blackmun
took no part in deciding the case.
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
overturning the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Arkansas* Western District of Arkansas...
's application of a Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
antidiscrimination law, which had permitted the United States Junior Chamber
United States Junior Chamber
The United States Junior Chamber is a leadership training and civic organization for people between the ages of 18 and 41. Areas of emphasis are business development, management skills, individual training, community service, and international connections. The U.S...
(Jaycees) to exclude women from full membership.
Majority opinion
In an opinion authored by Justice BrennanWilliam J. Brennan, Jr.
William Joseph Brennan, Jr. was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1956 to 1990...
, the Court held that: (1) application of the Minnesota Human Rights Act to compel the Jaycees to accept women as regular members did not abridge either male members' freedom of intimate association or their freedom of expressive association, and (2) the Act was not unconstitutionally vague and overbroad. Several features of the Jaycees, including its large size, unselective membership, and purpose, placed it outside the sphere of relationships protected by the First Amendment. The Court ruled that the State's compelling interest in combating gender discrimination justified the law's impact on the Jaycees' First Amendment rights.
Justice O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor is an American jurist who was the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She served as an Associate Justice from 1981 until her retirement from the Court in 2006. O'Connor was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
wrote an opinion concurring with parts I and III of the Court's opinion and concurring in the judgment.
Justice Rehnquist
William Rehnquist
William Hubbs Rehnquist was an American lawyer, jurist, and political figure who served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States and later as the 16th Chief Justice of the United States...
concurred in the judgment without joining either opinion. Justices Burger
Warren E. Burger
Warren Earl Burger was the 15th Chief Justice of the United States from 1969 to 1986. Although Burger had conservative leanings, the U.S...
and Blackmun
Harry Blackmun
Harold Andrew Blackmun was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1970 until 1994. He is best known as the author of Roe v. Wade.- Early years and professional career :...
took no part in deciding the case.
See also
- Freedom of associationFreedom of associationFreedom of association is the individual right to come together with other individuals and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests....
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Alabama
- Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of BostonHurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of BostonHurley v. Irish American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of Boston, 515 U.S. 557 , is a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States regarding the right to assemble and for groups to determine what message is actually conveyed to the public...
- Boy Scouts of America v. DaleBoy Scouts of America v. DaleBoy Scouts of America et al. v. Dale, , was a case of the Supreme Court of the United States overturning the New Jersey Supreme Court's application of the New Jersey public accommodations law, which had forced the Boy Scouts of America to readmit assistant Scoutmaster James Dale...
- Gender equalityGender equalityGender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
- List of gender equality lawsuits
- List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 468