chevron-down Created with Sketch Beta.
    0

      Sep

      26

      Hernandez v. Texas at 70: An Impactful but Overlooked Decision

      1 PM EDT

      Seventy years ago, the Supreme Court issued its Hernandez v. Texas decision, declaring that Mexican Americans were entitled to equal protection. The decision ended the longstanding and systematic exclusion of Mexican Americans from jury service, then in place, in over 70 Texas counties. This decision also marked the first time that Mexican American attorneys argued before the Supreme Court.
      $00
      NON-MEMBERS
      $00
      MEMBERS
      $00
      YOUR PRICE
      Register Now *Additional discounts may apply at checkout

      Log In to view your rate

      Looking for something new?

      Stay up to date on the latest trends and topics with just published titles each month in all areas of the law. Members save 10% and more.
      Browse new books

      The content of this program does not meet requirements for continuing legal education (CLE) accreditation. You will not receive CLE credit for participating.

      Seventy years ago, four Texas attorneys—Gus Garcia, Carlos Cadena, John Herrera, and James De Anda—made history as the first Mexican American attorneys to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court. Their client was Pete Hernandez, a farm worker accused of murder in Edna, a small town in Jackson County, Texas. The case became a vehicle to expose the systematic exclusion of Mexican Americans from jury service in over 70 Texas counties. It was also the opportune time for such a challenge. This cadre of Hispanic attorneys, with roots in Texas spanning centuries, and returning from service in World War II, would no longer tolerate treatment as second-class citizens in Texas and had begun using the law to break down barriers. The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Hernandez v. Texas, issued by Chief Justice Earl Warren in May 1954, was the first civil rights decision to recognize Mexican Americans as a distinct class entitled to equal protection under the law.

       

      Event Details

      Duration

      60

      Format

      Webinar

      Date

      Sep 26, 2024

      2024-09-26T13:00:00-04:00 2024-09-26T14:00:00-04:00 Hernandez v. Texas at 70: An Impactful but Overlooked Decision Seventy years ago, the Supreme Court issued its Hernandez v. Texas decision, declaring that Mexican Americans were entitled to equal protection. The decision ended the longstanding and systematic exclusion of Mexican Americans from jury service, then in place, in over 70 Texas counties. This decision also marked the first time that Mexican American attorneys argued before the Supreme Court.

      Sponsors

      Judicial Division

      Co-sponsors

      Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities

      Related Products

      Related On-Demand CLE