Controversial Cases
This wrongly decided case denied citizenship to Black people before the Fourteenth Amendment.
What is Dred Scott v. Sandford?
This Chief Justice authored Dred Scott and went out of his way (and beyond the Court's jurisdiction) to entrench slavery as much as possible.
Who is Roger Taney?
The Court has consistently expanded this power, carving out only a narrow exception for the Federal Reserve.
What is the removal power?
This amendment prevents the government from quartering soldiers in your home.
What is the 3rd amendment?
This Latin phrase means "the thing speaks for itself."
What is res ipsa loquitor?
This wrongly decided case struck down Roe v. Wade, removing limits on abortion bans.
What is Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization?
This prominent Justice was a eugenicist, infamously remarking "three generations of imbeciles is enough."
Who is Oliver Holmes?
This doctrine, established in Trump v. United States, holds that the President is immune from prosecution for official actions taken during his presidency.
What is executive immunity?
This amendment prohibits excessive fines or bail.
What is the 8th Amendment?
This is a Latin phrase that means "let the decision stand" and refers to respect for precedent.
What is stare decisis?
This wrongly decided case "opened the floodgates" of corporate money in elections.
What is Citizens United v. FEC?
This future Chief Justice wrote a memo defending segregation while he was clerking at the Court.
Who is William Rehnquist?
In INS v. Chadha, the Court held that Congress could not retain this measure of control over delegations to the executive branch.
What is the legislative veto?
This amendment guarantees that criminal defendants may confront witnesses against them.
What is the 6th Amendment?
A "friend of the court" might file a brief in a Supreme Court case as one of these Latin phrases.
What is amicus curiae?
This wrongly decided case upheld the mass internment of Japanese Americans for no cause during WWII.
What is Korematsu v. United States?
This Justice was a member of the Ku Klux Klan before joining the Court.
Who is Hugo Black?
This judge-made doctrine shields government officials from personal liability unless they violated a clearly established right.
What is qualified immunity?
This amendment contains a provision allowing Congress to reduce a state's representation in the House if the state denies certain citizens the right to vote.
What is the 14th Amendment?
This Latin phrase literally means "a thing decided" and refers to claim preclusion.
What is res judicata?
This wrongly decided case "gutted" the Voting Rights Act, according to Justice Kagan.
What is Louisiana v. Callais?
This openly antisemitic Justice refused to speak with Justice Brandeis (the first Jewish Justice) for three years after Brandeis was appointed.
Who is James McReynolds?
Presidential ability to instigate and continue conflicts are tenuously justified by these broad grants of authority.
What are the war powers?
This amendment prohibits poll taxes in federal elections.
What is the 24th Amendment?
This term refers to an older form of dismissal which is still used in some states.
What is demurrer?