MULLER V OREGON 208 U.S 412 1908 MULLER V OREGON U.S CONSTITUTION U.S GOV'T JUDICIAL REFORM MOVEMENTS BUSINESS/COMMERCE U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION SIGNIFICANCE A LANDMARK FOR CASES INVOLVING SOCIAL REFORM THIS DECISION ESTABLISHED THE SUPREME COURT'S RECOGNITION OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THIS CASE WOMEN'S HEALTH AS A FACTOR IN MAKING LAWS BACKGROUND IN 1903 OREGON PASSED A LAW LIMITING WORKDAYS TO 10 HOURS FOR FEMALE WORKERS IN LAUNDRIES AND FACTORIES IN 1905 THE FOREMAN OF CURT MULLER'S GRAND LAUNDRY IN PORTLAND FORCED MRS ELMER GOTCHER TO WORK MORE THAN 10 HOURS IN ONE SHIFT AS OWNER OF THE LAUNDRY MULLER WAS FOUND GUILTY BY A LOCAL COURT OF VIOLATING OREGON'S LAW MULLER APPEALED CLAIMING A VIOLATION OF FREEDOM OF CONTRACT THE SUPREME COURT HAD UPHELD A SIMILAR CLAIM THAT YEAR IN LOCHNER V NEW YORK WHEN THIS CASE CAME TO THE SUPREME COURT HOWEVER THE NATIONAL CONSUMERS LEAGUE HIRED LAWYER LOUIS BRANDEIS TO PRESENT OREGON'S ARGUMENT BRANDEIS RECALLED THAT THE COURT HAD DEFENDED THE STATE'S POLICE POWER TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS HEALTH SAFETY AND WELFARE IN HIS LEGAL BRIEF BRANDEIS PROVIDED 95 PAGES OF QUOTES FROM MEDICAL AND FACTORY STUDIES DEMONSTRATING THAT WOMEN'S HEALTH WAS NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY WORKING LONG HOURS DECISION THIS CASE WAS ARGUED ON JANUARY 15 1908 AND DECIDED ON FEBRUARY 24 1908 BY A VOTE OF 9 TO 0 JUSTICE DAVID BREWER SPOKE FOR THE UNANIMOUS COURT IN UPHOLDING THE OREGON LAW THE COURT AGREED THAT WOMEN'S WELL BEING WAS IN THE STATE'S PUBLIC INTEREST AND THAT THE 10 HOUR LAW WAS A VALID WAY TO PROTECT THAT WELL BEING EXCERPT FROM THE OPINION OF THE COURT IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY TRUE AS MORE THAN ONCE DECLARED BY THIS COURT THAT THE GENERAL RIGHT TO CONTRACT IN RELATION TO ONE'S BUSINESS IS PART OF THE LIBERTY OF THE INDIVIDUAL PROTECTED BY THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION YET IT IS EQUALLY WELL SETTLED THAT THIS LIBERTY IS NOT ABSOLUTE AND EXTENDING TO ALL CONTRACTS AND THAT A STATE MAY WITHOUT CONFLICTING WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT RESTRICT IN MANY RESPECTS THE INDIVIDUAL'S POWER OF CONTRACT
