South Carolina v. Katzenbach

In South Carolina v. Katzenbach, 383 U.S. 301 (1966), the U.S. Supreme Court weakened state power to act on behalf of its citizens, and transferred that power to the federal government in the context of enforcing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This was a quintessential opinion by the Warren Court, written by Chief Justice Earl Warren himself.

“Nor does a State have standing as the parent of its citizens to invoke these constitutional provisions against the Federal Government, the ultimate parens patriae of every American citizen.” South Carolina v. Katzenbach, 383 U.S. 301, 323-24 (1966).

Justice Hugo Black dissented alone, and agreed with the majority on everything except its upholding the validity of provisions in Section 5 of the Act.