This section contains the nature of the case and procedural background.

Upon moving to Iowa, Appellant Carol Sosna (P) pursued a divorce but was denied based on an Iowa law requiring that P satisfy a one-year residence in Iowa and that her spouse be an Iowa resident. P contends that the residency requirement creates a class distinction between in-state residents and out-of-state residents because it impedes the travel of out-of-state persons to Iowa. P did not Appeal the decision but sued the state, asserting the Iowa residency requirement violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The District Court upheld the Iowa law. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed.

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