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RUNYON v. McCRARY Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The Supreme Court held that 42 U.S.C. § 1981, which guarantees the right to make contracts, prohibits commercially operated, nonsectarian private schools from refusing to admit qualified children solely on the basis of race, finding this private discrimination to be a “badge of slavery.”
Legal Significance: The case established that 42 U.S.C. § 1981 prohibits private racial discrimination in contracting, extending the logic of Jones v. Mayer (§ 1982) and affirming Congress’s broad power under the Thirteenth Amendment to legislate against private conduct that constitutes a “badge or incident of slavery.”
RUNYON v. McCRARY Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
The parents of two African American children, Michael McCrary and Colin Gonzales, attempted to enroll their children in two private, nonsectarian schools in Virginia: Bobbe’s School and Fairfax-Brewster School. Both schools operated as commercial enterprises, advertising their educational services to the general public through mailings and telephone directory listings. Upon inquiry, both schools explicitly informed the parents that they did not accept Black students. The parents filed suit, alleging that the schools’ racially discriminatory admissions policies violated 42 U.S.C. § 1981, which grants all persons the same right to make and enforce contracts as is enjoyed by white citizens. The district court found that the children were denied admission solely because of their race. The schools defended their policies, arguing that § 1981 does not apply to private conduct and that, if it does, it unconstitutionally infringes upon their rights to free association, privacy, and parental control over education. The Southern Independent School Association, representing numerous other private schools with similar policies, intervened as a defendant. The lower courts found for the plaintiffs, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does 42 U.S.C. § 1981, which guarantees all persons the right to make and enforce contracts, prohibit private, commercially operated, nonsectarian schools from denying admission to qualified applicants solely on the basis of race?
Yes. The Court held that § 1981 prohibits private, commercially operated, nonsectarian Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit ani
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Does 42 U.S.C. § 1981, which guarantees all persons the right to make and enforce contracts, prohibit private, commercially operated, nonsectarian schools from denying admission to qualified applicants solely on the basis of race?
Conclusion
This decision solidified the modern interpretation of Reconstruction-era civil rights statutes as Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit
Legal Rule
42 U.S.C. § 1981, enacted under Congress's Thirteenth Amendment enforcement power, prohibits Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in
Legal Analysis
The Court's analysis began by affirming that its prior interpretation of 42 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui offic
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- Holding: 42 U.S.C. § 1981 prohibits private, commercially operated schools from