Document: 379 U.S. 184 85 S.Ct. 283 13 L.Ed.2d 222 Dewey McLAUGHLIN et al., Appellants,v.STATE OF FLORIDA. No. 11. Argued Oct. and 14, 1964. Decided Dec. 7, William T. Coleman, Philadelphia, Pa., Louis H. Pollak, New Haven, Conn., for appellants. James G. Mahorner, Tallahassee, Fla., appellee. Mr. Justice WHITE delivered the opinion of Court. 1 At issue in this case is validity a conviction under § 798.05 Florida statutes, F.S.A., providing that: 2 'Any negro man white woman, or any who are not married to each other, shall habitually live occupy nighttime same room be punished by imprisonment exceeding twelve months, fine five hundred dollars.' 3 Because section applies only person Negro commit specified acts because no couple other than one made up subject upon proof elements comprising offense it proscribes, we hold invalid as denial equal protection laws guaranteed Fourteenth Amendment. 4 The challenged statute part chapter 798 entitled 'Adultery Fornication.'1 Section 798.01 forbids living adultery 798.02 proscribes lewd cohabitation. Both sections general application, both require intercourse sustain conviction, authorize two years.2 798.03 also fornication3 authorizes three-month jail sentence. fourth chapter, 798.04, makes criminal Negro's together fornication. A one-year prison sentence authorized. conduct reaches appears proscribed first chapter.4 798.05, at case, nighttime. This offense, however, distinguishable from that which does along with crime.5 5 Appellants were charged violation 798.05. described trial judge (1) habitual occupation night, (2) (3) married. State presented evidence going factor, appellants' constitutional contentions overruled jury returned verdict guilty. Solely on authority Pace v. Alabama, 106 583, 637, 27 L.Ed. 207, Supreme Court affirmed sustained against claims denied them We noted probable jurisdiction, 377 914, 84 1178, 12 185. deal single basis set aside these convictions.6 I. 6 It readily apparent treats interractial differently couple. No can convicted precise banned claim contrary However, all whites Negroes engage forbidden covered member interracial penalty. 7 In situation, supra, relied controlling authority. our view, represents limited view Equal Protection Clause has withstood analysis subsequent decisions let stand an Alabama forbidding fornication between imposing greater penalty allowed another application proscribing whatever race participants. acknowledged purpose 'was prevent hostile discriminating state legislation class persons' equality implies person, 'whatever his * subjected, different punishment.' U.S., 584, S.Ct., 638. But taking quite literally its own words, 'for offense' (emphasis supplied), pointed out had designated separate commission identical provisions. There was, therefore, impermissible discrimination difference punishment was 'directed offence designated' committed it, Negro, treated alike.7 Under law regulating satisfied since applied equally among members reached without regard fact did reach types couples performing necessity justify established offenses. those whom applicable, treatment accorded intraracial irrelevant.8 8 narrow soon swept away. While acknowledging currency 'if deals alike certain class' obnoxious 'as proposition, undeniably true,' Gulf, C. & S.F.R. Co. Ellis, 165 150, 155, 17 255, 256, 41 666, said 'equally true such classification cannot arbitrarily. *' Classification 'must always rest some bears reasonable just relation act respect proposed, never arbitrarily, basis.' Ibid. '(A)rbitrary selection justified calling classification.' Id., 159, 258. approach confirmed Atchison, Matthews, 174 96, 104—105, 19 609, 612—613, 43 909, numerous cases.9 See, e.g., American Sugar Ref. Louisiana, 179 89, 92, 21 43, 44, 45 102; Southern R. Greene, 216 400, 417, 30 287, 291, 54 536; F. S. Royster Guano Virginia, 253 412, 415, 40 560, 561, 64 989; Air-Way Elec. Appliance Corp. Day, 266 71, 85, 12, 15, 69 169; Louisville Gas 277 32, 37—39, 48 423, 425—426, 72 770; Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection Ins. Harrison, 301 459, 461—463, 57 838, 839—840, 81 1223; Skinner Oklahoma ex rel. Williamson, 316 535, 541—543, 62 1110, 1113—1114, 86 1655; Kotch Board River Port Pilot Comm'rs, 330 552, 556—557, 67 910, 912—913, 91 1093; Hernandez Texas, 347 475, 478; Griffin Illinois, 351 17—19, 76 585, 589—591, 100 891 (opinion Black, J., announcing judgment), 21—22, 591—592 (Frankfurter, concurring); Morey Doud, 354 457, 465 466, 77 1344, 1349—1351, 1485; Central Pennsylvania, 370 607, 617—618, 82 1297, 1304—1305, 720; Douglas California, 372 353, 356—357, 83 814, 816—817, 9 811. Judicial inquiry Clause, end showing defined legislation. courts must determine question whether classifications drawn light purpose—in there arbitrary invidious classes Florida's cohabitation excluded. That what ignored faced here. 10 Normally, widest discretion legislative judgment determining attack some, rather all, manifestations evil aimed at; normally given benefit every conceivable circumstance might suffice characterize invidious. McGowan Maryland, 366 420, 1101, 1104—1105, 393; Two Guys Harrison-Allentown, Inc., McGinley, 582, 591—592, 1135, 1140—1141, 551; Allied Stores Ohio, Inc. Bowers, 358 522, 528, 79 437, 441, 480; Railway Express Agency, York, 336 106, 110, 463, 465, 93 533; Lindsley Natural Carbonic Co., 220 61, 78—79, 31 337, 340 341, 55 369. here based participants, viewed historical central Amendment eliminate racial emanating official sources States. strong policy renders 'constitutionally suspect,' Bolling Sharpe, 497, 499, 74 693, 694, 98 884; 'most rigid scrutiny,' Korematsu United States, 323 214, 216, 65 193, 194, 89 194; 'in most circumstances irrelevant' constitutionally acceptable purpose, Kiyoshi Hirabayashi 320 81, 100, 1375, 1385, 87 1774. Thus have been held variety contexts. Tancil Woolls (Virginia Elections Hamm), 19, 157 (designation voting property records); Anderson Martin, 375 399, 454, 11 430 nomination papers ballots); Watson City Memphis, 373 526, 1314, 529 (segregation public parks playgrounds); Brown Education, 349 294, 75 753, 99 1083 schools). embodied statute. context, where power weighs heavily individual group, especially sensitive policies which, reflected congressional enactments dating 1870, intended secure 'the full proceedings security persons property' 'to like punishment, pains, penalties, taxes, licenses, exactions kind, other.' R.S. 1977, 42 U.S.C. 1981 (1958 ed.). Our inquiry, clearly relevant materials overriding statutory requiring proscription when engaged but otherwise. Without justification contained reduced Clause. Court, relying found legal gave consideration purpose. brief says 798, breaches basic concepts sexual decency;10 see reason quarrel State's characterization statute, dealing illicit extramarital premarital promiscuity. 14 find nothing suggested essential punish promiscuity group another. suggestion more likely if they do. Sections indicate presents particular problems over-all adequately served. 798.01—798.03 adultery, fornication, order. All application. 798.04 prohibits imposes lesser period either 798.02, applicable persons. Simple provision 798.03. not, mainly feared,' Patsone 232 138, 144, 34 281, 282, 58 539; '(e)vils field may dimensions proportions, remedies,' Williamson Lee Optical, 348 483, 489, 461, 563; even done much fast can, Buck Bell, 274 200, 208, 47 71 1000. will partially corrected times, more, serve law; employ piecemeal stops short permitting coverage focus group. Such bear far heavier burden justification. 'When lays unequal hand intrinsically quality sterilizes selected nationality oppressive treatment. Yick Wo Hopkins (118 356, 1064, 220); (State Missouri rel.) Gaines Canada, 305 59 232, 208.' 541, 1113, 1655.11 II. 15 remaining argument related marriage, Fla.Stat.Ann. 741.11,12 history Amendment, immune Its law, likewise valid, argued, ancillary serves miscegenation itself. 16 reject argument, reaching prohibition marriage soundness arguments rooted For posit constitutionality ban white, follow subjected independent examination '(A)ssuming, purposes only, constitutional,' 'it limit means used enforce it.' Oyama 332 633, 646—647, 68 269, 275, 92 249. See Buchanan Warley, 245 60, 38 16, 20, 149. therefore itself pass muster Amendment; reasons similar already given, think fails test. involved exercise police trenches protected freedom race. though enacted pursuant valid interest, heavy justification, said, upheld necessary, merely rationally related, accomplishment permissible policy. cases cited, p. 192. Those provisions neutral express promiscuous conduct, married, marry not. These provisions, enforced, would relations kind way protect integrity State, including claimed marriage. moreover, severely instances do offered served general, neutral, existing behavior singles special short, shown necessary adjunct accordingly invalidate expressing views about reverse convictions. 18 Reversed. HARLAN, concurring. 20 I join Court's following comments. agree antimarriage assumed arguendo necessity, mere relationship, proper test, ante, pp. 195-196. NAACP 288, 307—308, 1302, 1313—1314, 325; Saia 334 558, 562, 1148, 1150, 1574; Martin Struthers, 319 141, 147, 63 862, 865, 1313; Thornhill 310 88, 60 736, 741, Schneider 308 161, 162, 164, 146, 151, 152, 155; 466—467, 1157, 393 concurring). 22 arose principles First make inapplicable Principles free speech carried States through test developed infringement should involving lies very heart Nor deemed excessive relating policy, whereas involves policies—prevention prevention miscegenation—effectuated vitiate conclusion need decided case. If legitimacy considered depend being former 'unnecessary' principle cited nondiscriminatory statutes. If, discrete independently falls weight. 23 STEWART, DOUGLAS joins, 24 concur opinion. could show 'some purpose.' implication join, conceive Constitution color person's skin offense. appellants convicted, fined, imprisoned their races. So goes, illegal Negroes. civil keeping racially segregated records statistical purposes. Cf. Woolls, 157. punishment. And simply possible criminality actor. Discrimination per se.* 798.01—Living open adultery: 'Whoever lives years, county year, dollars. Where parties so guilty provided section.' 798.02—Lewd lascivious behavior: 'If lewdly lasciviously associate cohabit together, unmarried, gross lewdness behavior, three 798.03—Fornication: commits thirty 798.04—White negro, mulatto, thousand 798.05—Negro woman occupying room: offenses: woman; association woman. latter 798.01, except contains additional requirement participants third party. Conviction requires lived maintained over time conjugal husband wife. Braswell 88 Fla. 183, 101 So. (1924); Lockhart 824, 153 (1920) (both now 798.01); Wildman 334, 25 So.2d 808 (1946); Penton 28 774 (1900) (cases respectively, statute). Unlike relate conduct. occasional Collins 458, 681 (1922). construing 798.04. operative language, 'live fornication,' substantially phrase 'lives adultery' construed mean language sharply contrasts 'commits fornication' 798.03, casual Textual leads us conclude give construction §§ 798.02. duplicative consistent lack prosecutions Parramore 621, 472 (1921). Compare note 2, supra. present unnecessary consider disposition principal claim. First, challenge 741.11—Marriages prohibited: 'It unlawful male residing intermarry female person; manner formed solemnized contravention utterly null void *.' complaint regarding charging defense common-law stated, objection appellants, 741.11 entered into Florida. contend due process secured Appellants' final convictions violated appellant McLaughlin's definition 'Negro' unconstitutionally vague. 1.01(6) provides: 'The words 'negro', 'colored', 'colored persons', 'mulatto' 'persons color', persons, include having one-eighth African blood.' arresting officers permitted, objection, observation physical appearance. circular provides defendant's ancestors testimony appearance objective standard. argues appellate procedure abandoned failed argue defect counsel consists assumption plaintiff error indicted person. Code entirely consistent. prescribes, generally, sexes; prescribes sexes neither 4184 includes black. 4189 offenders, Indeed, races Whatever prescribed directed offending black, same.' Had that, example, prohibited carnal knowledge penalized unquestionably deny applied. Strauder West 303, 306—308, 664; Ho Ah Kow Nunan, Fed.Cas. 252 (No. 6,546) (C.C.D.Cal.1879) (Field, J.) ('Chinese Pigtail' case). manifest inadequacy actually ruled sub silentio meted articulate reasons, stated infra contention presently review grounded holding undergone modification few years later proposition 'that inflicted circumstances, dealt similarly situated.' Moore Missouri, 159 673, 678, 179, 181, 301. 'Section Statutes, defendants charged, cohabiting opposite sexes. terms explicitly seek avoid wherein high potentials engagement. cohabitation, generally interpreted element occurrence distinguished potential occurrence. enacting occurrences. legislature decency parties.' Brief Appellee, 55—56. invalidated equal-protection grounds Oklahoma's sterilization multiple offenders exempting offenses arising laws, revenue acts, embezzlement political said: 'Oklahoma attempt say he larceny trespass trick fraud biologically inheritable traits lacks. line determined, noted, 'with reference fraudulent intent convert taker's use' arises. Riley Okl.Cr. (183) page 189, 78 P.2d (712) 715. slightest inferring significance eugenics nor inheritability follows neat distinctions marked fines crimes rate code. Only comes pains penalties different. clause indeed formula empty conspicuously artificial lines drawn.' 541 542, 1113. 6, Fla.Const., Art. 24, F.S.A. Since impact Due Process Thirteenth Fifteenth Amendments.

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