Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
Reed Vs. Reed
Ruling of the Supreme Court
This case started with a simple question, who should administrate a child's estate, but it opened doors for other cases defining sexual discrimination. Mr. Derr who argued for Sally says "...there is a great factual movement towards bringing women into our society as a person" (Reed v. Reed). Meaning previously a woman wasn't considered a person in society; she was considered the center of the home, but nothing more.
Hoyt vs. Florida
The Framers
Reed vs. Reed uses the case Hoyt versus Florida as support. In that case the question concerned a Florida statute that excused women from jury duty. It was said that this statue violated the 14th amendment by not treating women equally. The court held that the statute was reasonable and constitutional because women were still regarded as the center of the home and family life. These two cases are similar because in both cases women were discriminated against and considered inferior to men. However, the outcomes were different in Hoyt the woman was voted against, in Reed the woman was voted for.
The 14th amendment was part of the Bill of Rights ratified in 1868. The 14th amendment was created to ensure the rights of the former slaves would be protected throughout the nation, not just in certain states. The writers of the Bill of Rights didn't think it would one day protect women from the discrimination of the state laws.
Constitutional Issue
The 14th amendment was called into question. "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law" (McClenaghan).
Idaho state code 15-314 saying that males should be preferred to females is in direct violation of a constitutional amendment.
History
Reed Vs. Reed
Sally and Cecil Reed were divorced adopted parents to Richard Lynn Reed who committed suicide. Sally petitioned to be appointed administrator of her sons estate Cecil did the same. Both were considered equally capable. There was an Idaho state statue that said "Of several persons claiming and equally entitle to administer, males must be preferred to females..." So the estate was given to Mr. Reed. The case was appealed several time before ending up in the supreme court.