BRADWELL vs.

ILLINOIS RULING:

This is a case to determine whether or not the No, the right of a woman to practice law as a
practice of law of a married woman as a lawful lawful means of livelihood is not covered by the
employment for her livelihood is protected by 14th amendment.
the Privileges and Immunities Clause of the 14th
The Court ruled that the protection of privileges
Amendment of the US Constitution
designed by the provision of the privileges and
FACTS: immunities clause of the 14th amendment of the
US Constitution does not include the privileges
Mrs. Myra Bradwell, a married woman and a of a woman to practice law; thus, mrs. Bradwell
resident of the State of Illinois, made an
was not granted the license to practice law.
application to the judges of the Supreme Court
for a license to practice law. Her application was
accompanied by a certificate of good moral
character from court and a certificate that she
has been found to possess the required
qualifications to be admitted to the practice of
law.

Her application was later on denied by the State

of Illinois for the reason that a married woman
is incapable, without her husband’s consent, to
make or enter into contracts necessary to
create the atty-client relationship, thus,
rendering that a married woman is incompetent
to perform the duties of a lawyer.

Mrs. Bradwell brought this case before the

court alleging that the right of a woman to
practice law and her right to engage in a lawful
employment for livelihood is protected by the
privileges and immunities clause of the 14th
amendment of the US Constitution which states
that “no state shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges and
immunities of the citizens of the United States.”

Hence this petition

ISSUE: WON the right to practice law of a

woman is protected by the privileges and
immunities clause of the 14th amendment