The Supreme Court Case Loving V. Virginia - 1609 Words

On June 2, 1958 Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving went to Washington D.C. to get married and they went back to Virginia a few days later. But because Mildred was of African-American and Native American decent, and Richard was white they were arrested for violating the state law that prohibits interracial marriage. At the time, Virginia was one of 17 states, including Texas and Alabama, that had laws prohibiting interracial marriage (Wolfe). The Supreme Court Case Loving v. Virginia is an important of part of American history that has had a huge impact on racial equality and has helped change the definition of marriage in the United States forever. After their arrest, Richard was released after only one night with a $1000 bond. Mildred was released a few days later into the care of her father. In the trial in October 1958, they pleaded not guilty and waived a jury trial. However, they changed their pleas to guilty at the end of their arguments. and on January 6, 1959 they were sentenced to one year in prison (Wolfe). However, Judge Leon Bazile suspended the sentence under the condition that they do not return to the state together for 25 years. The sentence allowed them to return individually (Wolfe). So they paid their court fees of $36.29 each and they lived to Washington D.C. to live with Mildred’s cousin and his wife, but they still wanted to move back to Virginia so they could be with their families (Martin). In 1963 Mildred wrote a letter to Robert F. Kennedy, a U.S.Show MoreRelatedThe Supreme Court Case Loving V. Virginia1815 Words   |  8 PagesIt is hard to believe that it has only been 48 years since the land mark 1967 Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia, where the court unanimously declared Virginia s Racial Integrity Act of 1924 unconstitutional and ended all race-based marriage bans in the U.S. When I chose this topic for my assignment, I don’t know if it was the lack of knowledge or denial that led me to believe it was longer than 48 years ago. To me, it felt like it was not a long time ago, and it was mindboggling because thatRead MoreLoving V. Virginia, Introduction, Facts, Legal Background1567 Words   |  7 PagesLoving v. Virginia Interracial marriage: Respecting the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. I. INTRODUCTION This case note will examine the 1967 landmark Supreme Court case of Loving v. Virginia. The Loving v. Virginia case touched on constitutional principles including equality, federalism, and liberty. Just over 30 years ago, it was a crime for interracial couples in Virginia to marry, or to live as husband and wife. Prior to the 1967 case of Loving v. VirginiaRead MoreLoving vs. The Commonwealth of Virginia: Significance in Marriage Law1174 Words   |  5 PagesLoving v. Virginia Significance in Marriage Law A case is said to be landmark when it produces a precedent that is regarded as law by jurists during other cases. These cases are seen as such, generally, because they change the direction of the people making the laws and sitting on the courts, and forge a new path for justice which is more often than not seen as a perfection of the law. One such case occurred in Loving v. The Commonwealth of Virginia in 1967. The original complaint was made inRead MoreThe Supreme Court and Civil Rights Essay991 Words   |  4 Pagesagainst actions of the state governments in a series of cases decide by the Supreme Court,† Dawood stated. In previous years (1790-1803), the Supreme Court had little say in decisions being made by government. As time went on the Supreme Court took on more responsibility and started making additional decisions, which in time helped minorities gain their civil rights. It took a couple of years, as a matter of fact till the 1900’s for the Supreme Court to ge t out of the â€Å"ideology of white supremacy andRead MoreRichard Loving, A White Man And Mildred Jeter913 Words   |  4 Pages1958, in the District of Columbia, Richard Loving, a white man and Mildred Jeter, a black woman was married. Shortly after the marriage the Loving’s returned to Virginia. Upon returning to Virginia the couple was charged with violating Virginia’s Anti-miscegenation Statue. That bans inter-racial marriages. The Loving’s were found guilty and sentenced to a year in jail but the judge offered to suspend their sentence if the Loving’s were to leave Virginia and not return for 25 years. ï‚› Racial integrityRead MoreThe Statutes Pave V. Alabama Loving V. Virginia Essay1364 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment 2: The Statutes- Pace v. Alabama Loving v. Virginia Ashlee R. Hall PAD 525: Constitution Administrative Law Dr. Lee January 29, 2012 Was there ever a period in history where interracial marriages and sex among people of different races was considered illegal? As absurd as this idea sounds, the answer is yes. Astonishingly, less than 40 years ago marrying someone of a different race was considered illegal. Black people could not be with white people- it justRead MoreThe Debate Over The Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage1264 Words   |  6 Pagesexamples of this is the ongoing debate over the legalization of same-sex marriage within America. In the article â€Å"Supreme Court should make gay marriage a national right† by the editorial staff at the Boston Globe, the importance of the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on same sex marriage was stressed because it is a topic that has been dodged thus far. While numerous federal circuit courts have ruled on this issue, some in favor and some opposed, the legal dispute of whether the decision should be leftRead MoreThe Case : Great Promise And Its Impact On The Future 1269 Words   |  6 PagesBetween the cases many comparisons are to be made about both trials. The decisions of the cases showed premises, in that both trials were on the subject of marriage equality. The fact that this trial went in favor of the plaintiff showed forthcoming. As the legal establishment shown from the trials gave validity to their marriage and similar ones that are to follow. So, by referencing, or even with knowledge of the case going in favor of the plaintiff, the case shows great promise and has an extremeRead MoreCivil Liberties And Civil Rights1500 Words   |  6 PagesLiberties v. Civil Rights Linsey (Lins) Morgan - Student ID: 3104067 GOVT - 2305 - 71063 Northlake College Had I been born a mere 60 years earlier, I would likely be in jail. Before discussing the U.S. Supreme Court decision which has preserved my freedom, I would like to examine the nature of civil rights and civil liberties. Next, we will look at some of the historical context which would have found me jailed. Lastly, we will conclude by looking at the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court s landmarkRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage Should be Legal Essay1535 Words   |  7 Pagescrossed state borders to be wed in Washington, D.C.. Virginia natives, Richard and Mildred Loving fled their home state to seek a marriage license in a D.C. courthouse due to Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act, which criminalized any marriage between a white and a non-white. Richard Loving was white. Mildred was of mixed race. Five weeks after returning home, they were arrested in their own bedroom by raiding policemen and put on trial. The Lovings pleaded guilty, were sentenced to one year in a state