Slaughterhouse Cases

The Slaughterhouse Cases (1873) were Supreme Court rulings that limited the scope of the 14th Amendment’s protections, specifically regarding citizens' rights against state actions. The case involved a Louisiana law giving a monopoly to a specific slaughterhouse, which others challenged as unconstitutional. The Court decided that the 14th Amendment primarily protected federal rights, not individual economic interests or privileges, and that states had broad power to regulate local industries. This decision shaped how civil rights and federal versus state authority are interpreted, emphasizing the states’ control over most rights not explicitly protected by federal law.