Unit 2 SCOTUS Cases- AP Government

Engel v. Vitale

Daily voluntary prayer authorized by the state —> violates Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and states could not authorize payers in schools, even if they’re not linked to a certain religious belief (think angel—> religion)

Schenck v United States

Schenck found guilty of violating Espionage Act during WW1 for passing out leaflets against the draft —> court held Espionage act did NOT violate First Amendment and congress has the authority to limit DANGEROUS SPEECH

Gideon v. Wainwright

Does the Sixth Amendments right to counsel extend to felony defendants in state courts? —> court held right to counsel applies by way of Fourteenth Amendment, now its required that states appoint attorneys to defendants who cannot pay for their own

Tinker v. Des Moines 

Students wore armbands in school in support of Vietnam war truce—> does prohibition against wearing armbands in schools violate first amendment free speech? Court held arm bands are PURE speech, kids did not lose free speech when they stepped on school grounds and they did not cause a “substantial disruption”

Roe v. Wade

Roe claimed Texas abortion law was unconstitutional and violated her right to privacy —> SC held there is an inherent right to privacy in the DUE PROCESS clause in 14th Amendment that protects a woman’s right to an abortion

McDonald v. Chicago

Does the Second Amendment apply to the states because it is incorporated by the Fourteenth Amendment's Privileges and Immunities or Due Process clauses and thereby made applicable to the states? Court held the Fourteenth Amendment makes the Second Amendments right to bear arms for self-defense applicable to the states

New York Times Co. v. United States

MYT published classified pentagon papers, can government stop this? Court held that no they cannot be stopped, and freedom of the press of the 1st Amendment protected the publication. PRIOR RESTRAINT

Brown v. Board of Education

Segregation of schools on the basis of race- does “separate but equal” violate 14th amendments EQUAL PROTECTION clause? Court held that yes, it does violate the equal protection clause because separate facilities were inherently unequal

Miranda v. Arizona

Miranda confessed guilt in police interrogation after not being read his 5th amendment rights and right to have an attorney present. Does 5th amendment protection against self incrimination extend to police investigations? —> 5th amendment requires law enforcement to inform suspects of their right to remain silent and right to an attorney while in custody (Miranda rights)

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Wisconsin had law that required students to attend school until age 16. Amish challenged this as an infringement of their 1st amendment rights to free exercise of their religion. Court held yes, it violated their right —> changed law to attending school up until 8th grade

Dobbs v. Jackson

Mississippi passes “Gestational Age act”—> Is Mississippi’s law of banning abortions up until 15 weeks unconstitutional? (Supreme Court precedent prohibits states from banning abortions prior to viability) —> overturns Roe v Wade + Planned Parenthood v. Casey bc constitution does not mention abortion and Roe v. Wade did not have enough constitutional backing of a “right to privacy” protecting abortion