Supreme Court Cases

study for Florida Civic Literacy Exam

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

A landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Court to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Established federal supremacy over state laws and confirmed the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Established federal authority over interstate commerce, ruling that states cannot regulate navigable waters used for interstate trade.

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

Ruled that African Americans were not citizens and therefore could not sue in federal court, effectively stating that Congress had no authority to regulate slavery in the territories.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Upheld racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine, allowing states to maintain segregated public facilities.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson.

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

The Supreme Court upheld the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II as a wartime necessity, despite later criticism of the decision.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Established the "clear and present danger" test for free speech limitations during wartime, ruling that speech advocating draft resistance was not protected.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Ruled that state-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Ruled that students have the right to free speech in schools, as long as it does not disrupt the educational process. This case involved students wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War.

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988)

Determined that schools could censor student newspapers and publications if it served a legitimate educational purpose.

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Ruled that burning the American flag as a form of political protest is protected by the First Amendment's free speech clause.

New York Times v. United States (1971)

Upheld the First Amendment right of free press, allowing the New York Times to publish the Pentagon Papers without government censorship.

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Established the exclusionary rule, which prevents illegally obtained evidence from being used in court.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Guaranteed the right to legal counsel for defendants in criminal cases, ensuring that those who cannot afford an attorney are provided one by the state.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Established the Miranda rights, requiring that individuals in police custody be informed of their rights to an attorney and against self-incrimination before being interrogated.

Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)

Held that a defendant has the right to counsel during police interrogations and that this right must be honored.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Recognized the rights of parents to homeschool their children based on religious beliefs, ruling that state requirements for school attendance violated the First Amendment.

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)

Affirmed an individual's right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Legalized abortion, ruling that a woman's right to choose is protected under the right to privacy.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Incorporated the Second Amendment right to bear arms to the states, ruling that Chicago's handgun ban violated individuals' rights under the Constitution.

United States v. Nixon (1974)

Established that the President is not above the law, leading to Nixon's resignation.

University of California v. Bakke (1978)

Landmark case addressing affirmative action policies in college admissions, ruling that racial quotas are unconstitutional but race can be considered as one factor.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Ruled gerrymandering based on race is unconstitutional, establishing that redistricting plans must comply with the Voting Rights Act.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Limited Congress's power under the Commerce Clause by ruling that carrying a gun in a school zone is not an economic activity.

Bush v. Gore (2000)

A controversial Supreme Court case that resolved the 2000 presidential election by effectively halting a recount of votes in Florida, asserting that it violated the Equal Protection Clause.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

A landmark decision that ruled corporate funding of independent political broadcasts cannot be limited, as it violates free speech rights under the First Amendment.