Commonwealth v. Hunt, 45 Mass. 111, 4 Met. (1842) was a Massachusetts Supreme Court decision that held workers had a right to peaceably assemble for their common interest and declared organizing a union or strike could not be classified as criminal conspiracies.
This was an important case, historically, but it did not reach the US Supreme Court and did not set a binding precedent outside the Massachusetts state court system. The federal courts issued contradictory decisions that controlled labor practices well into the early 20th century.
For more information, see Related Questions, below.
Commonwealth v. Hunt, 45 Mass. 111, 4 Met. (1842) was a Massachusetts Supreme Court decision regarding the legality of organized labor. This was an important case, historically, but it did not reach the US Supreme Court and did not set a binding precedent outside the Massachusetts state court system. The federal courts issued contradictory decisions that controlled labor practices well into the early 20th century.
Short story
The ruling made Labour Unions legal organizations and able to organize strikes.
In Commonwealth v. Hunt, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in 1842 that that labor combinations (labor unions) were legal provided that they were organized for a legal purpose and used legal means to achieve their goals. Prior to that the legality of such organizations was uncertain.
Commonwealth v Hunt
Commonwealth v. Hunt, 45 Mass. 11, 4 Met. (1842) was a case that departed unexpectedly from the anti-labor sentiments of the 19th-century. Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw ruled that a group of workers banded together to protect common interests was not a criminal conspiracy.Unfortunately, while the case is interesting and unusual, it is not often cited as case law because decisions in higher courts, such as the US Supreme Court, contradicted the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court opinion.
Commonwealth vs. Hunt
The Commonwealth v. Hunt case of 1842 was a legal judgment issued by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. The court case was on the subject of labor unions. Before the case, the formation of labor unions was strictly prohibited, and those that did could be charged with conspiracy. However, in March of 1842, Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw ruled that labor unions were legal organizations that retained the right to form a strike under the United States Constitution as long as the processes were non-violent and did not disrupt the rights of those around them.
Commonwealth v. Hunt
in Charlestown, Massachusetts in Charlestown, Massachusetts
Though judges throughout the decade would become more anti-union, Commonwealth v. Hunt served as a legitimizer for trade unions.
No, they did not hunt for food they only grew food and traded for food.
Pee Wee Hunt died on June 22, 1979, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA.
Octomber 2, 1885 in Someville, Massachusetts.
She was born in October 18, 1831 at Amherst, Massachusetts.