In 1839, the Journeymen Boot-maker's Society, created and led by John Hunt, attempted to organize a strike against all employers who hired non-Union members.
The leaders of this group were charged with conspiracy and were put to trial, and the case was eventually brought to the Supreme Court.
The case, taking place from 1839-1842, revolved around the subject of labor unions and strikes.
Before this case had taken place, the matter of workplace conditions, workday hours, and employee wages had been something that thousands of people tried to see changes in, but had not majorly succeeded in until the final decision of this trial.
After this case had ended, unions were now completely legal, which meant that they no longer had to be put on trial for trying to protect the rights of workers.
It also showed that labor unions were not trying to accomplish an illegal goal that could potentially hurt a business, or that they were trying to accomplish a legal goal by illegal means.
At first, before the case was brought to the Supreme Court, the Boston municipal courts ruled all defendants guilty of conspiracy.
Robert Rantoul Jr., a defense attorney, made the court have a second thought about their decision.
In the end, Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw sided with the defendants and declared that the formation of unions was legal, as long as methods used in the unions and strikes were legal, as well.