Ap gov court cases

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

clause: Article III – Judicial Power. Was appointed a federal judge, but his commission was not delivered. He sued to force delivery. The case asked whether the Supreme Court could issue a writ of mandamus to compel the executive branch.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

xxxxx attempted to tax the Second Bank of the United States. Could Congress create the bank, and could a state tax a federal institution?

clause: Necessary and Proper Clause (Article I, Section 8)

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Issue: Charles distributed leaflets urging opposition to the draft during World War I. Was this protected under the First Amendment?
Clause: First Amendment – Free Speech
Ruling: The Court ruled that speech that creates a “clear and present danger” to national security is not protected. This limited free speech during wartime, introducing a standard to balance freedom of speech and public safety.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Issue: Were racial segregation laws in public schools constitutional under the Equal Protection Clause?
Clause: 14th Amendment – Equal Protection Clause
Ruling: The Court unanimously declared that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson. This ruling ended legal segregation in public schools and became a major victory of the Civil Rights Movement.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Issue: Tennessee’s legislative districts had not been redrawn in decades despite population shifts. Could federal courts intervene in state redistricting issues?
Clause: 14th Amendment – Equal Protection Clause
Ruling: The Court held that redistricting cases are justiciable, meaning courts can hear them. This led to the principle of “one person, one vote”, ensuring legislative districts reflect equal representation.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Issue: New York schools had a voluntary, nondenominational prayer at the start of each day. Did this violate the Constitution?
Clause: First Amendment – Establishment Clause
Ruling: Yes. Even if voluntary and non-denominational, school-sponsored prayer is unconstitutional, reinforcing the separation of church and state.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Issue: Clarence was denied a lawyer in a Florida state trial because he could not afford one. Does the Sixth Amendment require states to provide legal counsel?
Clauses:

• Sixth Amendment – Right to Counsel

• 14th Amendment – Due Process Clause (Incorporation)
  Ruling: Yes. The Court ruled that states must provide an attorney to defendants who cannot afford one, applying the Sixth Amendment to the states through the 14th Amendment.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Issue: Students wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. Could the school punish them?
Clause: First Amendment – Free Speech
Ruling: Students do not lose constitutional rights at school. Schools can limit speech only if it causes a substantial disruption. This case protected symbolic political expression in schools.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Issue: Amish parents refused to send their children to high school after 8th grade, citing religious beliefs. Could the state enforce compulsory education laws?
Clause: First Amendment – Free Exercise Clause
Ruling: The Court ruled that compulsory education laws violated the Amish families’ religious freedom. Individual religious rights can outweigh certain state interests.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Issue: Congress passed the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. Did it exceed Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause?
Clause: Article I, Section 8 – Commerce Clause
Ruling: Yes. Carrying a gun near a school is not an economic activity affecting interstate commerce. This decision limited Congress’s power and reinforced federalism by protecting states’ authority.