Free Speech Cases
Schenck v. United States
Schenck distributed leaflets criticizing the draft during World War I and was arrested.
The government may restrict freedom of speech is there is a "clear and present danger." In this case, distributing leaflets criticizing the draft was a clear and present danger to the United States during wartime.
Tinker v. Des Moines
Two students protested the Vietnam War by wearing armbands in a silent, peaceful protest.
The Court ruled that students do have freedom of speech provided it does not endanger the school environment.
Roe v. Wade
Plessy v. Ferguson
Created the "separate but equal" doctrine that allowed segregation based on race.
How many Supreme Court justices are there?
9
Texas v. Johnson
Johnson burned an American flag and was arrested for desecrating the flag.
Flag burning is a permissible form of free speech.
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
The principal censored the school newspaper.
The Court ruled that an administrator may censor a school newspaper.
Miranda v. Arizona
A defendant must be warned of their Constitutional rights.
Brown v. Board of Education
Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and declared that separate but equal is inherently unequal.
Led to school integration.
How old does a person have to be in order to become a Supreme Court justice?
No age requirement
United States v. O'Brien
O'Brien and others were arrested for burning their draft cards during the Vietnam War.
The government can restrict freedom of speech if it furthers a legitimate government interest. Burning draft cards during the Vietnam War was not a permissible form of free speech.
New Jersey v. TLO
A school may conduct reasonable warrantless searches.
Gideon v. Wainwright
All defendants have the right to an attorney.
Regents of UC v. Bakke
Upheld affirmative action, but stuck down the use of racial quotas.
Name three current Supreme Court justices.
Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, John Roberts, Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanagh, Clarence Thomas.
New York Times v. United States
The New York Times and Washington Post came into possession of the Pentagon Papers. The US government wanted to prevent the publication of the information as it was a matter of national security.
The Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot prevent the publication of information before it has been published. The New York Times and Washington Post could publish the information.
Engel v. Vitale
School prayer over the announcements violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Mapp v. Ohio
All evidence obtained by searches and seizures in violation of the Fourth Amendment is inadmissible in a state court
Loving v. Virginia
Stuck down laws that banned interracial marriage.
What is redlining?
Racial discrimination against African-Americans by forcing them to live in certain neighborhoods.
Planned Parenthood v. Casey
Can a state require women who want an abortion to obtain informed consent, wait 24 hours, if married, notify their husbands, and, if minors, obtain parental consent, without violating their right to abortion as guaranteed by Roe v. Wade?
The court upheld Roe v. Wade, but added the "undue burden" test.
Santa Fe School District v. Doe
School-sponsored prayer over the PA system at a government-funded football game violates the Establishment Clause.
Lemon v. Kurtzman
The Court held that a statute must pass a three-pronged test in order to avoid violating the Establishment Clause:
1. The statute must have a secular legislative purpose
2. its principal or primary effect must be one that neither promotes nor inhibits religion
3. it must not foster “excessive government entanglement with religion.”
Griswold v. Connecticut
States cannot pass laws making contraceptives illegal for married couples to obtain.
What were the experiences of the Little Rock Nine?
They faced racism and descrimination.