Federal Power & The Commerce Clause
This case established that local activity (like growing wheat for personal use) can be regulated if it has a "substantial effect" in the aggregate on interstate commerce
What is Wickard v. Filburn?
This 1803 case affirmed that the Supreme Court has the ultimate authority to throw out laws that conflict with the Constitution
What is Marbury v. Madison?
This early case defined "commerce" broadly to include navigation, and established that federal law triumphs over state-granted monopolies
What is Gibbons v. Ogden?
This 1954 case famously overruled the "separate but equal" doctrine, declaring that segregation in public schools is inherently unequal
What is Brown v. Board of Education?
This 1833 case originally held that the Bill of Rights only restricted the federal government, not the states
What is Barron v. Baltimore?
In this 1995 case involving a handgun at a school, the Court finally set limits on Congress’s Commerce Power by ruling the activity was not economic
What is United States v. Lopez?
Justice Jackson’s three-tier framework for evaluating the "Zenith" and "Nadir" of Presidential power comes from this 1952 "Steel Seizure" case
What is Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer?
This Dormant Commerce Clause case ruled that a state cannot ban the importation of out-of-state waste, as it discriminates against articles of commerce
What is City of Philadelphia v. New Jersey?
While a neutral police exam disproportionately failed Black applicants, this case held that "disparate impact" alone is not enough; you must prove "discriminatory intent"
What is Washington v. Davis?
This infamous "Lochner Era" case protected a "liberty of contract" under the 14th Amendment, striking down a law limiting bakers' work hours
What is Lochner v. New York?
This case created a four-part test for the spending power, ruling that Congress can use federal funds to "encourage" state behavior, like raising the drinking age
What is South Dakota v. Dole?
This case established that the President has the absolute power to remove "purely executive" officers without Senate approval
What is Myers v. United States?
This case created a balancing test for neutral state laws: a law is invalid if the burden on interstate commerce is "clearly excessive" compared to local benefits
What is Pike v. Bruce Church?
This case proved that a law neutral on its face violates Equal Protection if it is applied with "an evil eye and an unequal hand"
What is Yick Wo v. Hopkins?
This case found a "right to privacy" for married couples using birth control, deriving it from the "penumbras" of the Bill of Rights
What is Griswold v. Connecticut?
This landmark case struck down a mandatory Medicaid expansion because it was "coercive," leaving states with "no real choice" but to agree
What is NFIB v. Sebelius?
Contrasting with Myers, this case ruled that Congress can limit the President’s removal power for leaders of independent agencies who perform "quasi-legislative" functions
What is Humphrey’s Executor v. United States?
This case demonstrates "Conflict Preemption," ruling that state law is overridden if it stands as an "obstacle" to federal objectives, like car safety standards
What is Geier v. American Honda Co.?
This case established that laws using race to provide "minority business set-asides" still face strict scrutiny and require actual evidence of past discrimination
What is City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co.?
This 2022 decision overruled Roe v. Wade, stating that because abortion is not "deeply rooted" in history, the Constitution does not protect it
What is Dobbs v. Jackson?
This case held that while Congress can enforce constitutional rights, its legislation must be "congruent and proportional" to the violation, meaning it cannot create new rights
What is City of Boerne v. Flores?
In 2021, the Court ruled that the President must have control over officers, specifically striking down a structure where "inferior" administrative judges issued final decisions without review
What is United States v. Arthrex?
This 10th Amendment case struck down a federal law regarding sports gambling, reaffirming that Congress cannot tell states what they can or cannot do
What is Murphy v. NCAA?
This 2023 decision significantly limited the use of race in college admissions, ruling that diversity interests must be measured against strict scrutiny
What is Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard?
This case provides the three-part balancing test (Private interest, Risk of error, and Government burden) used for all Procedural Due Process claims
What is Mathews v. Eldridge?