AP Gov. SCOTUS Required Cases

McCulloch v. Maryland

• McCulloch worked in a federal bank that refused to pay taxes to the state of Maryland. Maryland sued for the money, but McCuolloch appealed

• SCOTUS ruled in favor of McCuolloch, states don’t have the power to tax federal buildings

• Established that the federal gov has implied power through necessary and proper clause

US v. Lopez

• Lopez brought a gun to school, was charged with violating the gun free zones act

• SCOTUS ruled that the gun free school zones act was unconstitutional, exceeded congress’s authority under the commerce clause

• they concluded that owning a gun in a school zones is not a economic activity, and therefore has nothing to do with commerce

Maybury v. Madison

• established the concept of judicial review

• John Maybury sued James Madison for not delivering his commission for a federal appointment, forgotten from John Addams’ administration

• SCOTUS ruled that the appointment could not be delivered, because the law that would permit it to happen was unconstitutional

Baker v. Carr

• Plaintiff lived in a urban TN voting district, which was underrepresented compared to more rural ones

• TN districts are required to be redrawn every 10 years, but they had not been

• Plaintiff sued the state court for not redrawing district lines, created unfair advantages between districts

• The court ruled that federal courts have jurisdiction over state cases concerning violations of the equal protection clause

• established the courts ability to have jurisdiction over apportionment

Shaw v. Reno

• Shaw argued that NC voting district was created to give black voters an advantage

• Reno argued that creating a majority black district was necessary and allowed under the voting rights act

• SCOTUS ruled in favor of Shaw, concluding that the district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander

Engel v. Vitale

• NY state law required students to say a prayer during school mornings

• Engel, a parent, sued his school district arguing that it was a violation of the first amendment

• SCOTUS ruled in favor of Engel, concluding that state mandated prayer was illegal under the first amendment

Wisconsin v. Yoder

• Amish don’t believe in sending their children to school past 8th grade, under their religion

• Wisconsin has a law that children must attend school until 16

• Ruled in favor of Yoder, the Amish, stating that the free exercise of religion outweighs state interests in education

Tinker v. DesMoines

• Tinker and classmates wore black arm bands to school protecting the Vietnam war

• argues that they had a right to under the first amendment’s free speech

• School district called it disruptive and a distraction in a school setting

• ruled in favor of tinker, upheld the first amendment, free speech doesn’t end when you enter school

Schneck v. US

• During WW1, Schneck distributed pamphlets protecting the war and encouraging men to ignore their draft

• gov convicted him under the espionage act, made it illegal to interfere with military opreations

• court upheld decision, schnecks conviction was legal under espionage act

• free speech wasn’t protected, court ruled that is was a clear and present danger

Gideon v. Wainwright

• Gideon was charged with a felony, requested state lawyer

• was denied because of the type of case

• Gideon lost in court, represented himself

• he sued and said he has right to counsel under the 6th amendment, SCOTUS upheld decision

McDonald v. Chicago

• McDonald wanted to challenge Chicago on their gun control laws

• Claimed that the right to bear arms falls under the 2nd amendment and the 14th due process (states can’t interfere with federal law/Constitution)

• Ruled in favor of McDonald, states didn't;t have a right to prevent from bearing arms

Brown v. Board of Ed

• Ended school segregation

• Brown’s daughter was denied from a white’s only school district

• Overturned plessy v. freguson

• Court ruled that her denial was unconstitutional, violatedthe equal protection clause of the 14th amednment

Citizens United v. FEC

• Citizens united wanted to air a video to the public bashing Hillary Clinton

• the FEC said they couldn’t, as it would use soft money (general funds) which is illegal so close to an election under the Bipartisan Campaign Reofrm Act

• Citizens united took them to court, claimed that FEC was violating their free speech

• SCOTUS ruled in favor of Citizens, finding the BCRA to be unconstitutional, private companies are allowed to spend unlimited amounts of money on ads/campaigning, as long as they don’t give that money to a candidate