Saint Francis College v. Al-Khazraji
The Facts Of The Case, The Lower Courts Rule, The Supreme Court Affirms
Petitioners
Saint Francis College et al.
Respondent
Majid Ghaidan Al-Khazraji, etc.
Petitioners' Claim
That a section of the U.S. Code barring racial discrimination did not apply to persons of Arab ancestry.
Chief Lawyer for Petitioners
Nick S. Fisfis
Chief Lawyer for Respondent
Caroline Mitchell
Justices for the Court
Harry A. Blackmun, William J. Brennan, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Sandra Day O'Connor, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., William H. Rehnquist, Antonin Scalia, John Paul Stevens, Byron R. White (writing for the Court)
Justices Dissenting
None
Place
Washington, D.C.
Date of Decision
18 May 1987
Decision
Affirmed the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals and granted the respondent the right to state his claim of racial discrimination against St. Francis College.
Significance
The Supreme Court's decision in Saint Francis College v. Al-Khazraji clarified the criteria for making a racial discrimination claim under section 1981 of the U.S. Code.
Impact
The decision issued by the Supreme Court in Saint Francis College v. Al-Khazraji established clear guidelines for future discrimination claims under Section 1981 of the U.S. Code. It reaffirmed the Court's long-standing opinion that, as Justice Brennan observed in his concurring opinion, "pernicious distinctions among individuals based solely on their ancestry are antithetical to the doctrine of equality upon which this nation is founded."
Related Cases
- McNally v. United States, 483 U.S. 350 (1987).
- Patterson v. McLean Credit Union, 485 U.S. 617 (1988).
- Jett v. Dallas Independent School District, 491 U.S. 701 (1989).
- Lampf v. Gilbertson, 501 U.S. 350 (1991).
Further Readings
Additional topics
- Santosky v. Kramer - Significance, Further Readings
- Rostker v. Goldberg - Significance, President Carter Reactivates The Selective Service System, Validity Of Rostker Questioned, Women And The Selective Service Exemption
- Saint Francis College v. Al-Khazraji - The Facts Of The Case
- Saint Francis College v. Al-Khazraji - The Lower Courts Rule
- Saint Francis College v. Al-Khazraji - The Supreme Court Affirms
- Other Free Encyclopedias
Law Library - American Law and Legal InformationNotable Trials and Court Cases - 1981 to 1988