The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following is the case brief for Ricci v. DeStefano, 129 S. Ct. 2658 (2009) Case Summary of Ricci v. DeStefano: The New Haven, CT Fire Department held an exam for firefighter promotions. The exam resulted in white candidates significantly outperforming minority candidates. Facing potential lawsuits from both sides, New Haven refused to certify the exam results. That decision meant that qualified […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Sherbert v. Verner, United States Supreme Court, (1963) Case summary for Sherbert v. Verner: Sherbert was fired because she could not work on Saturday’s for religious reasons. She subsequently filed for unemployment benefits with the state and was denied. Sherbert appealed the state courts decision’s claiming that her denial for unemployment benefits was unconstitutional. […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Hammer v. Dagenhart, United States Supreme Court, (1918) Case summary for Hammer v. Dagenhart: After Congress passed the Keating-Owen Act (the Act), which prevented the sale of goods made by children under a certain age, Dagenhart, a father of two minor boys, brought suit claiming the Act was unconstitutional. Specifically, Dagenhart alleged that Congress did […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Lochner v. New York, United States Supreme Court, (1905) Case summary for Lochner v. New York: Lochner was a bakery owner and permitted employees to work over the 10-hour statutory limit. After receiving two fines, Lochner brought suit, claiming the statutes violated the 14th Amendment’s Due Process Clause. The Supreme Court held that states […]
Read moreThe “right to work” idea is a principle that affirms that every American has the right to work without being forced to join a labor union. The National Right to Work Committee advocates for every citizen to have the right to join a union, but that they must not be made to feel obliged to do so. A union is […]
Read moreQuid pro quo harassment is a workplace situation wherein a manager promises an employee, or potential employee, something in exchange for a sexual favor. Examples of quid pro quo harassment situations involve a manager promising an employee a job, a raise, or a promotion in exchange for a sexual favor. Managers may also promise the employee that he or she […]
Read moreThe term “flagrant misconduct” is used to describe behavior that is extremely, obviously, and/or purposefully improper. Examples of flagrant misconduct include a store employee taking photos of customers as they change in the dressing room, or an employee who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs while operating a company vehicle. Both of these acts are illegal, and outrageous. […]
Read moreDisparate impact is a legal doctrine which declares that a policy can be considered discriminatory if it “adversely impacts” a group based on that group’s traits, such as its race, color, religion, or sex. This is especially true when there is no legitimate need for such a policy. If someone finds a policy or practices to be discriminatory, then he […]
Read moreResignation is the process of stepping down from a job, either voluntarily or involuntarily, with the latter often resulting from less-than-pleasant scenarios. An example of resignation on an involuntary basis may occur when a disgraced C.E.O. is forced to step down from his role with the company, in order to avoid further scrutiny. Once someone has announced or handed in […]
Read moreInsubordination is the act of willfully disobeying a superior, by being disrespectful to that superior, or by refusing to follow an instruction given by that superior. As an example of insubordination, a soldier who disobeys a superior officer in the military is likely to be disciplined. If someone refuses to perform an action that is unethical or illegal in nature, […]
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