AP U.S. Government SCOTUS Cases

Shaw v Reno

Shaw v Reno

North Carolina created two black majority districts, and people claimed that the districts were just trying to secure the election of more black representatives. This was declared unconstitutional under the EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE.

Marbury v Madison

John Adams appointed a bunch of judges to courts before Thomas Jefferson assumed power, but William Marbury never got his compensation. He took this to the courts. Refusing payment was declared unconstitutional under the SUPREMACY CLAUSE, because Congress was not allowed to change the Constitution through regular legislation in the Judiciary Act of 1789. Established JUDICIAL REVIEW

McCulloch v Maryland

Maryland was trying to tax the national bank and Supreme Court ruled that federal law was stronger than the state law. Incorporated the NECESSARY AND PROPER CLAUSE.

US v Lopez

Gun Free School Zones Act exceeded Congress' authority to regulate interstate commerce (INTERSTATE COMMERCE CLAUSE).

Engel v Vitale

A nondenominational prayer was authorized to be said at the start of each day at local public schools. Result: The prayer violated the ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE.

Wisconsin v Yoder

Amish children do not have to go to school until they are 16---they may stop after the 8th grade. FREE EXERCISE CLAUSE

Tinker v. Des Moines

U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld a student's First Amendment right to engage in SYMBOLIC SPEECH in school when they wore armbands to school in protest of the Vietnam War.

New York Times v. US

Supreme Court case protecting the FREEDOM OF PRESS by allowing the New York Times to publish the "Pentagon Papers" (covering the Vietnam War) despite the Justice Department's order to restrict it

Schenck v US

A United States Supreme Court decision concerning the question of whether the defendant possessed a First Amendment right to FREE SPEECH against the draft during World War I. Ultimately, the case served as the founding of the "clear and present danger" rule.

Gideon v Ogden

A man was not given a lawyer and lost the court case where he was forced to represent himself. The court declared that the states must give an attorney to those who cannot afford one under the 6th Amendment (right to assistance of counsel).

Roe v Wade

The 1973 Supreme Court decision holding that a state ban on all abortions was unconstitutional. The decision forbade state control over abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy, permitted states to limit abortions to protect the mother's health in the second trimester, and permitted states to protect the fetus during the third trimester. Covered by the Due Process Clause and the Right to Privacy.

McDonald v Chicago

D.C. banned handguns, this case wanted to see if the law could apply to a whole state. The right of an individual to "keep and bear arms" protected by the 2nd Amendment is incorporated by the due process clause of the 14th Amendment and applies to the states.

Brown v Board of Education

Court found that segregation was a violation of the Equal Protection clause "separate but equal" has no place

Citizens United v FEC

A Super PAC gave a lot of money to make a movie about Hillary Clinton. Super PACs are legal and are allowed to have unlimited spending under the 1st Amendment.

Baker v Carr

Case that established "one man one vote". This decision created guidelines for drawing up congressional districts after Tennessee brought the case to SCOTUS and guaranteed a more equitable system of representation to the citizens of each state