SHAW V. RENO (1993)
Why did voters challenge North Carolina’s congressional district map in Shaw v. Reno?
Voters argued that one of the districts was designed entirely on race, creating a strange shape and appearing to prioritize race over other factors.
What law did Lopez challenge, and why?
Lopez challenged the Gun-Free School Zone Act, arguing that Congress did not have the authority to make gun possession in school zones a federal crime.
Why did McDonald challenge Chicago’s handgun ban?
McDonald argued that the city’s ban on handguns violated his Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense.
What rule did Citizens United challenge, and why?
Citizens United challenged parts of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform, specifically parts that banned corporations and unions from funding independent political ads arguing these work against free speech.
What was the Supreme Court’s stance regarding the use of race as a primary factor in redrawing congressional districts in Shaw v. Reno?
The Supreme Court ruled that drawing congressional districts primarily based on race, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
How did the Supreme Court rule on Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause in United States v. Lopez?
Congress exceeded its Commerce Clause powers because carrying a gun in a school zone wasn’t closely enough connected to interstate commerce to justify federal regulation.
How did the Supreme Court apply the Second Amendment in McDonald v. Chicago?
The Court ruled that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms applies to states, through the 14th Amendment, meaning states and cities must respect this right.
How was political spending by corporations and unions ruled by the Supreme Court, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission?
The First Amendment prevents the government from restricting independent political spending by corporations or unions, their speech is protected.