Key Supreme Court Cases on Federal Power and Judicial Review

Established judicial review; the Supreme Court ruled part of the Judiciary Act unconstitutional; shrunk federal legislative power but strengthened federal judicial power.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Upheld Congress's implied powers and denied states the power to tax the national bank; grew federal power.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Ruled that Congress has broad authority over interstate commerce, overriding state laws; grew federal power.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Upheld the Civil Rights Act using the Commerce Clause to ban segregation in public accommodations; grew federal power.

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States (1964)

Allowed Congress to use conditional federal grants (withholding highway funds) to influence state policy; grew federal power.

South Dakota v. Dole (1987)

Limited Congress's Commerce Clause power by striking down a gun-free school zones law; shrunk federal power.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Ruled Congress cannot require state officials to enforce federal laws (anti-commandeering); shrunk federal power.

Printz v. United States (1997)

Struck down parts of the Violence Against Women Act as exceeding Commerce Clause power; shrunk federal power.

United States v. Morrison (2000)

Ruled the federal government could not block Oregon's medical aid-in-dying law; shrunk federal power.

Gonzales v. Oregon (2005)

Allowed Congress to regulate locally grown marijuana under the Commerce Clause; grew federal power.

Gonzales v. Raich (2005)

Established one person, one vote for congressional districts; grew federal power.

Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)

Declared legislative apportionment a justiciable issue, enabling federal court involvement; grew federal power.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Limited executive privilege and required Nixon to turn over tapes; shrunk federal executive power.

United States v. Nixon (1974)

Ruled a sitting president is not immune from civil lawsuits for unofficial acts; shrunk federal executive power.

Clinton v. Jones (1997)

Created Chevron deference, requiring courts to defer to reasonable agency interpretations of ambiguous laws; grew federal bureaucratic power.

Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. NRDC (1984)

Limited the president's ability to remove officials from independent regulatory agencies; shrunk federal executive power.

Humphrey's Executor v. United States (1935)

Overturned Chevron deference, requiring courts—not agencies—to interpret ambiguous statutes; shrunk federal bureaucratic power.

Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (2024)