APUSH Supreme Court cases

Baker v. Carr

This case involved the redistribution of legislative districts so that it reflected the population trend(one man, one vote). The federal courts had avoided this issue but ruled that overrepresented rural districts should be eliminated.

Bakke v. Board of Regents

This reverse discrimination case involved a white Allan Bakke, who claimed the the University of California at Davis had refused his admission because of minority quotas. The Supreme Court allowed Bakke to attend UC Davis, buy upheld the minority quotas of universities.

Brown v. Board of Education

This case ended the “separate but equal” school system in America. Oliver Brown filed suit because the school his daughter attended was much farther away than the White only elementary school. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that schools should be integrated but left lower courts to carry out the decision.

Bush v. Gore

Equal Protection Clause. The Supreme Court, in a per curiam opinion, ruled that the Florida Supreme Court's decision, calling for a statewide recount, violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Kennedy has since been identified as the primary author of the opinion.

Charles river bridge Case

this case involved a charter of the Charles river bridge company that prevented Massachusetts from building a new bridge across the Charles river. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney ruled that. no charter given to a private company had the right to harm the public interest. This decision stated that the rights of a community supersede the rights of a private corporation.

Citizens United v F.E.C.

It was argued in 2009 and decided in 2010. The court held 5–4 that the free speech clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations, including nonprofit corporations, labor unions, and other associations.

Commonwealth V. Hunt

in this case, the Supreme court of Massachusetts ruled that trade union organizations and striking tactics were legal as long as their methods were honorable and peaceful. Unions did not take shape until later in the century because many judges still considered them illegal.

Dartmouth college v. Woodward

this case involved the seizure of Dartmouth college by the New Hampshire state legislature. the Supreme Court ruled that contracts made by private corporations were protected by the constitution and that a state can not alter them.

**Dred Scott v. Sanford**

This case involved a Pennsylvania law that prohibited the capture and return of runaway slaves within the state. The Supreme Court ruled that the return of fugitive slaves was a federal power, thus making the state law unconstitutional. Northern states responded by prohibiting state officials from helping anyone pursuing runaway slaves.

Engel v. Vitale

the Supreme Court ruled against a prayer composed by the New York State board of regents.

Gibbons v. Ogden

This case involved two steamboat operators with conflicting charters for control of steamboats in the New York City harbor. The Supreme Court ruled that federal charters overruled state charters and that only the federal government had the right to control interstate commerce.

Gideon v. Wainwright

This case involved the arrest of Gideon for breaking into a pool room. The Supreme Court ruled that legal counsel must be given to anyone charged with a felony. This decision was extended in 1972 to include anyone charged with misdemeanor.

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. U.S.

This case involved the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Court upheld the constitutionality of the act and ended a proprietor’s right to refuse service based on race

Mapp v. Ohio

This case extended the 14th amendment to protect citizens from state decisions. The Supreme Court ruled that state officials must abide by the Bill of Rights and barred state use of illegally obtained evidence.

Marbury v. Madison

In this case, William Marbury was refused a commission as Justice of the Peace by Madison. Marbury had received this commission while John Adams was president. Chief Justice John Marshall dismissed this suit because it was not under the boundaries of the court according to the Constitution. This action made part of the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional and was the first time the Supreme Court had made an act of congress unconstitutional.

McCulloch v. Maryland

This case involved the taxation by Maryland of a branch of the U.S. Bank. The Supreme Court ruled that states could not tax the federal government and that the creation of the U.S. Bank was within the power of Congress.

Miranda v. Arizona

The Supreme Court ruled that a suspected criminal has the right to be read his rights. These rights included the right to remain silent(because anything said can be used against him), the right to an attorney and the right to one telephone call.

Northern Securities Case

In this case, J.P. Morgan, James Hill and E.H. Harriman joined together to control all railroads headed to the Pacific by creating the Northern Securities Company. The Supreme Court ruled that this company was a trust because owned stock in competing railroads thus violating the Sherman anti trust act.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Plessy’s fine for refusing to leave a white only section on a Louisiana train, “separate but equal”

Roe v. Wade

Struck down all state laws that prohibited abortions because it was infringement on a woman’s right to have an abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Schenck v. U.S.

Schenk was arrested because he distributed pamphlets urging people to resist the draft. Freedom of speech did not apply in this case because the U.S. was at war.

Standard Oil v. U.S.

differentiating whether the standard oil trust was a good or bad trust( the rule of reason). The Supreme Court decided that this trust was bad so the standard oil company was dissolved.

U.S. v. Butler

Ruled that the Agricultural Adjustment Act was unconstitutional because it invaded state jurisdiction by using federal taxation as a means of regulating production.

U.S. v. Nixon

 was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Court unanimously ordered President Richard Nixon to deliver tape recordings and other subpoenaed materials related to the Watergate scandal to a federal district court.

Worcester v. Georgia

Marshall ruled that George had no control over the Cherokee Nation and their land holdings, and that Georgia could not relocate the Cherokees. This case was the first time that Court sided with the Indians, but Jackson’s refusal to enforce it led to the Trail of Tears and Cherokee removal from Georgia.