Earning his JD in 1939 from the University of Oregon, Minoru Yasui was the first Japanese American attorney admitted to the state of Oregon's bar. He began working as a consulate in Chicago for the Japanese government, but resigned shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Returning to Oregon, where he was born, he tried to join the US Army but was denied. He was arrested in December 1941 for violating the military curfew, leading to his arrest and freezing of his assets. Looking to test the constitutionality of the curfew, Yasui turned himself into the police station as 11pm, five hours past the curfew. Yasui was found guilty of violating this curfew and was fined $5000 for not being a US citizen, despite being born in Oregon. He served a one-year prison sentence. Yasui appealed his case up to the Supreme Court, where it was held that the curfew was constitutional based on military necessity.
earning his jd in 1939 from the university of oregon minoru yasui was the first japanese american attorney admitted to the state of oregon's bar he began working as a consulate in chicago for the japanese government but resigned shortly after the attack on pearl harbor returning to oregon where he was born he tried to join the us army but was denied he was arrested in december 1941 for violating the military curfew leading to his arrest and freezing of his assets looking to test the constitutionality of the curfew yasui turned himself into the police station as 11pm five hours past the curfew yasui was found guilty of violating this curfew and was fined $5000 for not being a us citizen despite being born in oregon he served a one-year prison sentence yasui appealed his case up to the supreme court where it was held that the curfew was constitutional based on military necessity