Shelley Rationale Β·Relied on Fourteenth Amendment
Specifically, equal protection under the law for all U.S. citizens. But that only applied to state actors, not individuals. And racial covenants were private contracts.
The Shelly decision argues that while the contracts are between private actors, the enforcement of them is state action and therefore unconstitutional.
Dissolves the distinction between state and private action. Every private contract assumes state enforcement. According to Shelley, every private contract must conform to constitutional standards.
SCOTUS and lower courts recognize this flaw and they don't even apply Shelleyβs rationale. The do the opposite: they enforce private agreements that would violate constitutional rights, e.g., the right to free speech.
The actual problem were the racially restrictive covenants themselves, which Shelley somehow concluded were legal.
Passage Style
Critique or debate
2.
An answer to which one ββ βββ βββββββββ βββββββββ βββββ ββ ββββ ββββββββ ββ βββββββββββ βββββββ ββ ββββββ βββ ββ ββββββββββ β ββββββ ββββββββ ββ βββ ββββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββ ββ βββ ββββββ ββββββββ ββ βββ ββββββ ββββββββββ
Question Type
Meaning in context (of word, phrase, or idea)
Structure
We should get clear on the meaning of βstate actionβ before going to the answers. The previous lines indicate that thereβs a distinction between βstate actorsβ and βindividuals.β In addition, the reasoning of the court in Shelley v. Kraemer is described later in P2. That reasoning relies on the idea that certain actions can be βattributedβ to the state. So the meaning of βstate actionβ relates to which entity we can attribute an action to. Can we say that the state performed the action, as opposed to an individual?
a
What range of ββββββ βββ βββ ββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββ βββββββ
No aspect of the definition of βstate actionβ involves the potential effects of the action.
b
To what agent βββ βββββββββββ ββ βββ ββββββ ββ βββββββββ
This is relevant to whether an action is a βstate action.β If we can ascribe (attribute) the performance of an action to the state, then itβs a state action.
c
What principle or ββββββββββ βββ ββ ββββ ββ ββββββ βββ βββββββ
No aspect of the definition of βstate actionβ involves the principles that govern the action. The court in Shelley v. Kraemer, for example, didnβt ask why the action was done in order to determine whether it was a state action.
d
In what ways βββ βββ ββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββ ββββββ βββββββ
No aspect of the definition of βstate actionβ involves the potential effects of the action.
e
What motivations can ββ ββββββββββ ββ βββββ ββββββββββ βββ βββββββ
No aspect of the definition of βstate actionβ involves the motivations underlying the action. The court in Shelley v. Kraemer, for example, didnβt ask why the action was done in order to determine whether it was a state action.
Difficulty
75% of people who answer get this correct
This is a moderately difficult question.
It is similar in difficulty to other questions in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%142
150
75%159
Analysis
Meaning in context (of word, phrase, or idea)
Structure
Critique or debate
Law
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
8%
155
b
75%
162
c
12%
155
d
2%
154
e
1%
149
Question history
You don't have any history with this question.. yet!
You've discovered a premium feature!
Subscribe to unlock everything that 7Sage has to offer.
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you want to get going. Just create a free account belowβit only takes a minuteβand then you can continue!
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you came here to read all the amazing posts from our 300,000+ members. They all have accounts too! Just create a free account belowβit only takes a minuteβand then youβre free to discuss anything!
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you want to give us feedback! Just create a free account belowβit only takes a minuteβand then youβre free to vote on this!
Subscribers can learn all the LSAT secrets.
Happens all the time: now that you've had a taste of the lessons, you just can't stop -- and you don't have to! Click the button.