Seres Humanos Aqui: Hernandez v Texas and the Quest for Legal Recognition (Reception and Program) (HYBRID)
With the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association
Reception 5:30-6:15; Program 6:20-7:30PM
1 credit in professional practice
Guest speaker: Rudy Carmenaty, Esq., Chair, NCBA Diversity and Inclusion Committee; Co-Chair, NCBA Publications Committee
Hernandez v. Texas is the only Mexican-American civil-rights case decided by the United States Supreme Court. In a unanimous ruling, the court held that Mexican-Americans are guaranteed equal protection under the 14th Amendment. The ruling affirmed that nationality groups (other than African- Americans), in certain times and places, could be discriminated against. The ultimate effect was that the protections provided by the 14th Amendment were extended to any national or ethnic group for whom discrimination could be proved.
The Hernandez legal team consisted of Gus García, Carlos Cadena, Johnny Herrera, and James DeAnda. Incredibly, this was the first case in which Mexican-American lawyers had appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court. When Gus García argued before the Warren Court on January 11, 1954, Chief Justice Warren allotted him an additional sixteen minutes to present his case as the justices knew so very little about the lives of Mexican-Americans. The decision came out two weeks before the ruling in Brown v Board of Education.
Unfortunately, this landmark case has long been neglected. What makes this case so poignant, why it needs to be studied, is that it stands alone in the annals of U.S. Supreme Court jurisprudence. It is a case about Mexican Americans that was supported (emotionally and financially) by the Mexican American community and was argued by Mexican American lawyers. All of which were legal firsts.
Program is free to attend for NCBA Members; $35 for Non-Member Attorneys; $20 for LIHBA Members; $20 for Non-Attorneys.