Mathews v. Lucas

The Lucas children (plaintiffs), illegitimate children of a deceased Social Security-covered worker, were denied survivor's benefits because, unlike legitimate children and certain classes of illegitimate children who are presumed dependent, they had to independently prove their father was either living with or supporting them at the time of his death; they proved paternity but couldn't prove that dependency element. They argued the distinction violated the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause since other children received benefits regardless of actual dependency while they did not.