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Constitutional Law Keyed to Stone
Williamson v. Lee Optical Co.
Citation:
348 U.S. 483 (1955)Facts
In 1953, Oklahoma passed a law regulating the visual care industry. The statute prohibited opticians from fitting or duplicating lenses without a prescription from an ophthalmologist or optometrist, even when simply placing old lenses into new frames. It also banned the use of advertising to sell optical products, prevented opticians from soliciting business, and prohibited any person engaged in eye examinations from occupying space in a retail store. Lee Optical and other plaintiffs challenged these provisions as violating their due process and equal protection rights. The District Court struck down several provisions, finding they were not reasonably related to public health and welfare. The state appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the regulations were within its police power to protect public health.
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