Lugar v. Edmondson Oil Co.

Lugar v. Edmondson Oil Co. (1982) clarified what constitutes a "state actor" under the Fourteenth Amendment for equal protection claims. The Supreme Court ruled that private companies acting under government authority—such as enforcing regulations or licensing—can be considered state actors. This means their actions might violate constitutional rights if they discriminate unlawfully. The decision emphasized that for constitutional protections to apply, a challenge must show the private entity's actions are closely connected to government power, not just that the government has approved or facilitated their activities.