In the case of Lascaris v. Shirley et al., 1974, the Supreme Court ruled on a dispute concerning welfare benefits and residency requirements in New York state. The Department of Social Services had denied assistance to applicants who hadn't lived in Onondaga County for at least one year prior to their application. This was challenged by several individuals who were denied aid due to this requirement, arguing that it violated their constitutional right to travel freely across state lines without penalty or discrimination. The court agreed with the plaintiffs, ruling that such residency requirements did indeed infrac t upon citizens' rights as protected under the Equal Protection Clause of Fourteenth Amendment. Therefore, they deemed these restrictions unconstitutional and ordered them removed from policy.

In the dissenting opinion for Lascaris v. Shirley, it was argued that the majority's decision to strike down a New York State regulation as unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment was incorrect. The regulation in question required individuals applying for home relief (a form of welfare) to have lived in their respective counties for at least one year before becoming eligible. The dissenting justices believed this residency requirement served legitimate state interests and did not discriminate against any particular group or individual unfairly. They contended that states should be allowed some discretion when determining eligibility criteria for public assistance programs, especially considering limited resources and budgetary constraints. Furthermore, they pointed out that such requirements were common across many states and had been upheld by lower courts previously.