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Rostker v. Goldberg - Significance, President Carter Reactivates The Selective Service System, Validity Of Rostker Questioned, Women And The Selective Service Exemption

petitioner violate respondent william

Petitioner

Dr. Bernard Rostker, Director of the Selective Service System

Respondent

Robert L. Goldberg

Petitioner's Claim

That the exemption of women from the registration requirements of the Selective Service System did not violate the Constitution by discriminating between men and women.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner

Wade H. McCree, U.S. Solicitor General

Chief Lawyer for Respondent

Donald L. Weinberg

Justices for the Court

Harry A. Blackmun, Warren E. Burger, Sandra Day O'Connor, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., William H. Rehnquist (writing for the Court), John Paul Stevens

Justices Dissenting

William J. Brennan, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Byron R. White

Place

Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision

25 June 1981

Decision

That the Selective Service System exemption for women does not violate the Constitution.

Related Cases

  • Reed v. Reed, 404 U.S. 71 (1971).
  • Columbia Broadcasting System v. Democratic National Committee, 412 U.S. 94 (1973).
  • Greer v. Spock, 424 U.S. 828 (1976).
  • Craig v. Boren, 429 U.S. 190 (1976).

Additional Topics

Rostker v. Goldberg - Further Readings

Rostker v. Goldberg - Significance

The Court's decision reinforced Congress' broad powers to pass laws with respect to raising and maintaining the armed forces of the United States, and validated the male-only draft. The decision has had only limited impact, however, on the Court's resolution of gender discrimination issues outside the military context. During the height of the Vietnam War, one of the most divisive issues was the d…

Rostker v. Goldberg - President Carter Reactivates The Selective Service System

In 1979 President Jimmy Carter issued a proclamation to reactivate the registration requirement. President Carter felt that this step was a necessary response to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Although there were numerous proposals in Congress to have the registration requirements include both males and females, Congress refused to amend the Selective Service Act. Thus, beginning on 2…

Rostker v. Goldberg - Validity Of Rostker Questioned

Rostker v. Goldberg - Women And The Selective Service Exemption

In 1995, House Speaker Newt Gingrich caused controversy when he discussed the idea of women in combat from a politically incorrect standpoint--that is, he did not believe women had any business going to war. At around the same time, Shannon Faulkner was making headlines as she attempted to become the first female cadet at South Carolina's all-male military academy, The Citadel. Though she waged a …

Saint Francis College v. Al-Khazraji - The Facts Of The Case, The Lower Courts Rule, The Supreme Court Affirms [next] [back] Rogers v. Lodge - Significance, The Lower Courts Rule, The Supreme Court Rules, Dissenting Voices

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over 4 years ago

I find the last line of the above article 'certain segments of society find it hard to imagine that very many women would want to do so' appalling.



These Selective Service Laws DO NOT ASK anyone if they would LIKE TO or ENJOY serving involuntarily in direct ground combat. They ORDER, under punishment by imprisonment, OF ONLY MALES to serve in direct ground combat. Females stay at home and enjoy affirmative placement in jobs ahead of males which require speed and strength similar to those of direct ground combat by 'gender-norming' physical requirements of those jobs. Why not 'gender-norm' the physical requirements for involuntary, affirmative placement in direct ground combat of females ahead of males, thus giving females equal representation in combat operations??

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almost 4 years ago

Women should be put in those combat situation it violates our codes of honor and valor to put them in that position to be in danger is cowardly. If we were to have a draft again have may fathers and mothers would like to see the young daughters go off in combat and never return? The front lines is no place for women.