473 U.S. 432 (1985)
The Supreme Court case Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center, Inc.
Does the denial of a special use permit for a group home for people with intellectual disabilities, based on the city's zoning ordinance, violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?
Under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, laws affecting individuals must not be based on irrational or arbitrary classifications. A classification that is not suspect or quasi-suspect needs only to be rationally related to a legitimate government interest unless it is shown to operate to the peculiar disadvantage of a politically powerless group, thus requiring more exacting scrutiny.
The Supreme Court held that the City's denial of a special use permit for the Cleburne Living Center was based on irrational prejudice against the intellectually disabled, violating the Equal Protection Clause. Consequently, the ordinance requiring the permit for the group home was invalidated.
For law students, Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center, Inc. represents a pivotal case in understanding how the Supreme Court approaches equal protection claims related to mental disability discrimination. The decision is significant for students as it reveals the Court's flexibility in interpretation, demonstrating how rational basis review can be more exacting when suspect motives underlie governmental classifications. This case guides students in grasping the complexities of constitutional law and the ongoing development in anti-discrimination jurisprudence.