Facts
What caused Engel v. Vitale?
The NY Board authorized a short prayer at the beginning of school days, and NY parents sued over it.
What was the issue behind Engel v. Vitale?
Parents sued because the prayer violated the 1st Amendment
What was the SCOTUS holding?
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Engel, that the prayer at school was unconstitutional
What was the reason of the SCOTUS ruling in Engel v. Vitale?
It violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment
6-1 decision in favor of Engel (the parents) ruled that school-sponsored prayer was unconstitutional
What caused Gideon v. Wainwright?
The police arrested Gideon of breaking into a bar in Panama City, Florida. He could not afford a lawyer and asked the judge to appoint one for him. The judge refused, and he had to represent himself in court.
What was the issue behind Gideon v. Wainwright?
Gideon was
What was the SCOTUS opinion in Gideon v. Wainwright?
It was consistent with the Constitution to require state courts to appoint attorneys for defendants who could not afford to retain counsel on their own
Why did SCOTUS ruled in favor of Gideon?
The Court used the Due Process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to extend the constitutional right to an attorney in federal criminal cases for those who could not afford representation
What did the ruling mean?
Attorneys would be appointed by the state for those who couldn't afford one in state prosecutions.
What caused Tinker v. Des Moined Independent Community School District (DMICSD)?
Students decided to wear black armbands to their public school to protest the Vietnam War. They were suspended for refusing to remove them
What was the issue behind Tinker v. DMICSD?
The students were suspended for refusing to remove their armbands, so they sued the school district for violating their rights of free speech
What did the Supreme Court uphold in Tinker v. DMICSD?
They ruled that the students were allowed to express their discontent
Why did the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Tinker?
What did the Tinker ruling mean?
Freedom of speech and expression was students' constitutional right
What caused New York Times Co. v. US?
The NYT published an article on the Vietnam War with "secret" information (Pentagon papers), which President Nixon tried prevent
What was the issue in NYT v. US?
Was the constitutional freedom of the press subordinate to the power of the executive branch
What did SCOTUS decide in NYT v. US?
The SC ruled that the NYT should be allowed to publish their article on the Vietnam War
Why did the SCOTUS rule in favor of the New York Times?
They ruled that their constitutional freedom of the press should be protected against executive power
What caused Wisconsin v. Yoder?
Members of an Amish population declined to send their children to school, violating Wisconsin's compulsory attendance law
What was the issue in Wisconsin v. Yoder?
An Amish population were violating a Wisconsin compulsory attendance law for school
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Yoder, declaring that it was the Amish parents were allowed to not obey the compulsory attendance law
Why did the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Yoder?
Under the Free Exercise Clause in the 1st Amendment, a state law requiring that children attend school past eighth grade violates the parents' constitutional right to direct the religious upbringing of their children
What did Wisconsin v. Yoder signify?
It established that an individual's religious interests overrule a state's interests in compulsory education