West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish

300 U.S. 379 (1937)

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West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish

United States Supreme Court
300 U.S. 379 (1937)

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Facts

The State of Washington passed a law that regulated the minimum wages paid to female and minor employees. Elsie Parrish (plaintiff) was employed as a maid at a hotel owned by the West Coast Hotel Co. (West Coast) (defendant). Together with her husband, Parrish brought suit in Washington state court to recover the difference between the wages she was paid by West Coast and the minimum wage fixed under Washington state law. West Coast defended the suit on the grounds that the state law violated its due-process right to freely contract under the Fourteenth Amendment. The Washington trial court held for the hotel, but the Washington Supreme Court reversed. West Coast appealed to the United States Supreme Court.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Hughes, C.J.)

Dissent (Sutherland, J.)

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