Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidate Misinterprets Historic Ruling
Maria Lazar, a conservative contender for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, recently revealed a gap in her understanding of the Dred Scott decision during an interview, a ruling that stands as a cornerstone in American legal history.
Currently serving on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, Lazar is vying for the seat of outgoing conservative Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley, with the election set for April 17.
The Dred Scott decision, delivered by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857, famously denied full citizenship rights to Black people under the Constitution. In an October 1 radio interview, Lazar cited this ruling as an instance of a judicial error that was later corrected by the court.
Lazar remarked, “Precedent doesn’t mean that you never overturn a case. I mean, there are cases, for example, Dred Scott and some other appalling cases that the U.S. Supreme Court issued that deservedly should have been overturned.”
However, the Dred Scott decision was never overturned by the court. Instead, it was rendered obsolete by constitutional amendments: the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery; the 14th Amendment, which conferred full citizenship rights to Black people; and the 15th Amendment, which safeguarded citizens’ voting rights against government interference.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is currently balanced with four liberal justices and three conservatives. The upcoming April 7 election will decide whether the liberal majority is strengthened or remains the same. A case concerning congressional redistricting is anticipated to come before the court once the new justice assumes office.
Lazar’s opponent in the race is Chris Taylor, a judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, who has received endorsements from Sen. Tammy Baldwin and the AFL-CIO.
The original article can be found at American Journal News.
—
Read More Kitchen Table News
