Landmark Supreme Court Cases 1
Cases involving a young African American girl who was denied admission into a school due to her race.
What is Brown V. Board of Education?
Supreme Court case that ruled juveniles accused of crimes have the same due process rights as adults, including the right to an attorney, the right to confront witnesses, and protection against self-incrimination. The decision strengthened constitutional protections in juvenile court proceedings.
What is In Re Gault?
Case where an individual was interrogated and confessed to a crime of kidnapping and rape, but case ruling was changed due to individuals 5th amendment rights being violated.
What is Miranda v. Arizona?
Case where a New York school system was challenged in court because they began each school day with a nondenominational prayer, which was stated in court to be a violation of the First Amendment right to religion.
What is Engel v. Vitale?
Amendment that was referenced in cases such as Tinker v. Des Moines and Texas v. Johnson based on their freedom of speech.
What is the First Amendment?
Case where a president refused to turn over cassette tape recordings, stating that he was able to use "executive privilege." The Supreme Court ruled against this president, stating that him turning over the tapes would not compromise national security.
What is U.S. V. Nixon?
Case where a white male was rejected from being admitted into a medical school in California. He took the case to Supreme Court where they ruled in his favor, stating that the school violated the Equal Protection Clause and excluded him on the basis of race.
What is Regents of University of California v. Bakke?
Case that allowed the Supreme Court authority to declare legislative and executive actions unconstitutional, which is known as judicial review. Established the doctrine of judicial review.
What is Marbury v. Madison?
This case that struck down a Connecticut law banning the use of contraceptives by married couples. The Court ruled that the Constitution protects a right to privacy, found in the “penumbras” of the Bill of Rights, which limits government interference in personal decisions.
What is Griswold v Connecticut?
This amendment was referenced in cases such as Brown v. Board of Education and Plessy v. Ferguson based on each person being privileged to the same rights regardless of color.
What is the 14th Amendment?
Case where a woman was arrested for having obscene materials found at her house by police, but used her right to not have her belongings searched or seized without a search warrant as a basis of taking case to Supreme Court.
What is Mapp V. Ohio?
Case where a person accused of a felony was denied the right to an attorney by a judge. Court ruled for individual because it was violation of Sixth Amendment.
What is Gideon V. Wainwright?
Case where a slave attempted to sue his current slave owner for his freedom, because he felt that he was free when his original owner died and he went back to his home state. Supreme Court denied him, stating that he was not considered a citizen of the state, so he did not have rights.
What is Dred Scott v. Sanford?
Case was a 5–4 Supreme Court decision that stopped Florida’s presidential recount, ruling it violated the Equal Protection Clause.
What is Bush v Gore?
This amendment was referenced in the Miranda v. Arizona case where each person accused of a crime must be informed of their rights when detained.
What is 5th Amendment?
Case where a black citizen was arrested for violating the Separate Car Act by riding on a railroad car assigned for whites only. This black citizen took his case to the Supreme Court, where they ruled against him, based on the "Separate but Equal" act put in place earlier.
What is Plessy V. Ferguson?
This case that ruled Congress exceeded its Commerce Clause power by banning guns in school zones. The Court held that carrying a gun near a school was not an economic activity that substantially affected interstate commerce, limiting federal power.
What is United States V Lopez?
Case where the state of Maryland attempted to impose a tax on a federal bank. Supreme Court ruled with the federal government, due to the fact that states cannot interfere with federal matters to a certain extent.
What is McCulloch v. Maryland?
Case where students challenged their principals right to edit their newspaper articles that he felt were inappropriate. Students argued that their freedom of speech under the First Amendment was violated.
What is Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier?
Term used when the Supreme Court rejects a law or disagrees with a ruling because it goes against a persons constitutional rights.
What is unconstitutional?
This case upheld a conviction under the Espionage Act for distributing leaflets opposing the draft during World War I. The Court ruled that speech creating a “clear and present danger” is not protected by the First Amendment.
What is Schneck v. United States?
Case where Amish parents did not want their children to attend public school past the 8th grade, due to religious reasons. After school district required the children to attend public high school, Supreme Court ruled in favor of parents.
What is Wisconsin v. Yoder?
Case where students were suspended for wearing black armbands in protest of the Vietnam War. Supreme Court ruled in favor of students, stating that students do not leave their rights at the schoolhouse door.
What is Tinker v. Des Moines?
Case where person was arrested for burning the American flag outside of the Dallas City Hall. He argued that this act was protected by the First Amendments right to freedom of speech/ ymbolic speech.
What is Texas v. Johnson?
Highest court in the land. Place where people take their cases to be heard when they feel that their constitutional rights have been violated.
What is the Supreme Court?