Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Supermarket
United States Supreme Court
366 U.S. 617 (1961)
- Written by Salina Kennedy, JD
Facts
A state law prohibited businesses from opening on Sundays. The relevant provisions of the law were in a chapter entitled “Observance of the Lord’s Day” and imposed a $50 fine for operating a shop or “the doing of any labor, business, or work on Sunday.” The law included exceptions for performing charitable work or operating public utilities and it allowed local governments to permit amusement parks and beach resorts to operate after 1:00 p.m. on Sundays. The law further allowed shops to open and sell kosher meat until 10:00 a.m. on Sundays. The law had previously required church attendance and prohibited concerts, dancing, and alcohol on Sundays; however, those requirements had been eliminated. Crown Kosher Supermarket (Crown), along with three of its Orthodox Jewish customers and a local rabbi, (plaintiffs) sought to enjoin the enforcement of the law, arguing, among other things, that the law violated the First Amendment Establishment Clause because its purpose was religious. The federal district court agreed with Crown. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Warren, C.J.)
Dissent (Stewart, J.)
Dissent (Douglas, J.)
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