Lochner v. New York (1905)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
New York passed a law limiting bakers to 60 hours of work per week. Joseph Lochner challenged the law, and the Supreme Court struck it down, ruling that it interfered with the “liberty of contract” protected by the 14th Amendment’s Due Process Clause.

3) Why It Mattered
This case became the hallmark of the Lochner era, when the Court frequently invalidated social and economic regulations in the name of economic liberty.