court cases

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

established judicial review (judicial branch can invalidate laws passed by congress or the executive branch)

Judicial Power clause

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

states cannot impede federal power

Necessary and Proper clause, Supremacy clause

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

created separate but equal

Schenck v. US (1919)

criticism of draft is not protected by the first amendment

First Amendment, Freedom of Speech clause

remember: sneak past the draft

Gitlow v. NY (1925)

said that free speech has limits (as seen with New York’s anarchy law)

Palko v. Connecticut (1937)

The double jeopardy prohibition provision included in the Fifth Amendment is not applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.

remember: plinko is as random as jeopardy

Brown v. Board (1954)

stated that separate but equal is unconstitutional

Fourteenth Amendment, Equal Protection clause

Brown v. Board (1955)

force states to implement brown v board

Fourteenth Amendment, Equal Protection clause

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

All evidence discovered as a result of a search and seizure conducted in violation of the Fourth Amendment shall be inadmissible in State court proceedings.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Stated that it was unconstitutional for public schools to have an official prayer or promote prayers

First Amendment, Establishment clause

remember: lowkey just sounds religious

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Stated that changing the voting districts falls to the judicial branch

Equal Protection clause

Abington v. Schempp (1963)

school sponsored bible reading is unconstitutional

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

ruled that states must provide counsel to criminals who cannot afford it

Sixth Amendment, Right to Counsel clause

remember: its the ‘wright’ thing to do

Wesberry v. Sanders (1963)

Stated that the districts of representatives in the house must have roughly the same

remember: s → same

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

The right of a married couple to privacy is protected by the Constitution.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Ernesto Miranda was arrested for kidnapping and rape of an 18 year­old girl. He was interrogated and signed a written confessions but he was not told of his constitutional rights to counsel. Since this confession was used as evidence Miranda’s lawyer tried appeal when Miranda was declared guilty. After the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the trial court’s decision, the Supreme Court overturned Miranda’s conviction and stated suspects needed to be reminded of their 5th amendment rights. Changed the procedures of law enforcement by establishing the requirement to state the Miranda Rights (right to remain silence, right to an attorney,...) to criminal suspects in police custody. This is to remind suspects of their rights under the constitution

Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)

Ruled that Pennsylvania's nonpublic elementary and secondary education act was unconstitutional.

The act allowed the Superintendent of Public Schools to reimburse private schools (mostly Catholic) for the salaries of teachers who taught in these private schools, from public textbooks and with public instructional materials

US v. Nixon (1974)

The president does not have to answer congressional questions unless they are of a criminal nature

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Stated that there was no limits on what someone could spend on their presidential campaign, but established a limit on the individual amount someone could receive from an individual and made it so that congress could no longer appoint people to the federal commission

remember: ‘buckled’ up the amount someone can recieve

UC Regents v. Bakke (1978)

Upheld affirmative action as legal but stated that specific quotas were still illegal

Webster v. Reproductive Health Services (1987)

Stated that state funds could not be used to help people receive abortions

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Makes desecration of the american flag legal

remember: yeehaw american

Employment Division of Oregon v. Smith (1990)

should someone fired be given unemployment benefits if his infringement was for religious reasons

remember: employment → unemployment

Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)

made a woman able to get an abortion so long as she was informed and had parental consent if she was a minor, or during a medical emergency

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Held that redistricting must be held under strict scrutiny to stop racial gerrymandering

Equal Protection clause

remember: reno → racial

U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

Stated that the gun­free school zones act was unconstitutional because it could not be supported under the commerce clause

Commerce clause

remember: pez dispenser → guns

Clinton v. NY (1998)

stated that the line-­item veto, where the president could veto specific portions of a bill, went against the presentment clause

Bush v. Gore (2000)

Initiated in Florida year 2000 presidential election. Democratic Gore wanted recount due to voting irregularities in 3 Democratic counties. In 5­4 decision, Supreme Court halted the recount, giving Bush presidency.

Zelman v. Simmons­-Harris (2002)

Stated that the Ohio Pilot Scholarship Program was not unconstitutional based on the establishment clause

Ashcroft v. ACLU (2002)

Stated that the child online protection act, which limited what minors could see online, was unconstitutional

remember: AC → PC (online)

Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

Gay sex is no longer a crime in texas and 13 other states

remember: Brokeback mountain (yeehaw)

Gratz v. Bollinger (2003)

The court stated that The University of Michigan's use of race for admission was unconstitutional

Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)

Stated that the use of race to create a better learning environment is constitutional.

remember: grutter sounds like better (better learning)

Kelo v. City of New London (2005)

stated that taking land and then giving it to private parties for development is constitutional

DC v. Heller (2008)

Stated that people had the right to have weapons in their homes for self defense

NY times v. US

A landmark decision that upheld the right of the press to publish confidential governmental documents in the interest of the public's right to know.

• prior restraint

First Amendment, Freedom of Press clause

tinker v. des moines

A landmark case that upheld students' right to free speech in public schools, allowing them to wear armbands in protest of the Vietnam War.

First Amendment, Freedom of Speech clause

remember: des moines, iowa speech and debate nationals

wisconsin v. yoder

A Supreme Court case that held that Amish children could not be compelled to attend school past the eighth grade, based on their religious beliefs and practices.

First Amendment, Free Exercise clause

McDonald v. Chicago

A significant Supreme Court case that affirmed the Second Amendment right to bear arms applies to state and local governments, incorporating it through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Second Amendment, Right to Bear Arms clause

Citizens United v. FEC

A landmark Supreme Court case that ruled political spending by corporations and unions is protected free speech under the First Amendment, leading to the deregulation of campaign finance.

First Amendment, Free Speech clause