March 5, 1956
The United States Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of McGowan v. Maryland, upholding Sunday closing laws, which mandated the closing of certain businesses on Sundays by affirming the laws did not violate the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.
Washington, D.C., United States | Supreme Court of the United States
The United States Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of McGowan v. Maryland on March 5, 1961, not 1956. In this landmark ruling, the Court upheld the constitutionality of “Sunday closing laws,” also known as “blue laws,” which mandated the closing of certain businesses on Sundays. The decision affirmed that these laws did not violate the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.
McGowan v. Maryland originated when employees of a department store in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, sold items on a Sunday in violation of the state’s blue laws. These laws had historical roots in the colonial era, aimed at encouraging Sunday rest and religious observance. The employees argued that the laws were outdated and biased, thus infringing on their First Amendment rights by enforcing religious standards.
The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, delivered by Chief Justice Earl Warren, ruled that the laws were constitutional. The Court found that the Maryland statutes served secular purposes, primarily the benefit of providing a uniform day of rest for citizens, which justified the impositions imposed by the laws.
Purpose of the Laws: The Court acknowledged that while the origin of blue laws was religious, their current application had shifted towards creating a common day of pause and rest across communities, thereby having a secular, rather than religious, purpose.
Establishment Clause and Equal Protection: The decision clarified that the laws did not establish religion in violation of the Establishment Clause, nor did they infringe upon the Equal Protection Clause as applied through the Fourteenth Amendment.
Free Exercise and Commerce: The ruling determined that while the laws might indirectly affect religious practices or economic activity, such effects were insufficient to deem them unconstitutional owing to their genuine secular rationale.
The McGowan v. Maryland decision had wide-reaching implications, effectively endorsing the continuation of similar laws across various states. It set a precedent for evaluating the constitutionality of laws with both secular and religious characteristics, emphasizing the significance of legislative intent and context over historical origins.
This decision contributed to the broader discourse on the separation of church and state, influencing debates on how laws intersect with religious practices in a diversifying society. As of the ruling, many states continued to adapt or abolish blue laws, reflecting changing societal values while navigating constitutional boundaries.
Source: www.oyez.org