Yick Wo v. Hopkins 1886
Did San Francisco violate equal protection by enforcing a laundry ordinance only against Chinese operators?
118 U.S. 356 (1886)Equal protection
- The question
- Did San Francisco violate equal protection by enforcing a laundry ordinance only against Chinese operators?
- What the Court held
- Yes. A law fair on its face but administered with an unequal hand denies equal protection, and the guarantee covers non-citizens.
- The vote
- 9–0
- Read the opinion
- 118 U.S. 356 (1886), full text
This page summarizes the Court’s judgment in neutral terms. The opinion, concurrences and dissents are the authority; read them for the reasoning.