Cook v. Laird

Cook v. Laird (1970) was a legal case where Marvin Cook challenged the U.S. government's policy of drafting young men into the military during the Vietnam War. Cook argued that the selective service system violated his constitutional rights by discriminating based on age, which he claimed was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court ultimately dismissed the case on procedural grounds, ruling that Cook lacked standing—meaning he couldn't prove he was directly affected—and therefore couldn't challenge the draft policy in court. The case highlighted legal questions about who can challenge government policies and the limits of judicial review in military drafts.