Supreme Court Case Test

Tennessee urbanized quickly so rural votes overpowered urban votes. Tennessee was not redrawn to account for this urbanization.

Facts of Baker v. Carr

Jurisdiction over questions of legislative apportionment

Constitutional question of Baker v. Carr

reappportionment was subject to trial, and the court didn’t have authority to rule on question of reapportionment. Therefore the Supreme court could now get involved with political questions, and district courts could decide if lines are drawn unfairly

Majority opinion of Baker v. Carr

Equal Protection Clause of 14th Amendment, One person, one vote.

Constitutional connection to Baker v. Carr

Majority, minority districts. These were drawn in North Caroline to motivate a black candidate to win

Facts of Shaw v. Reno

Did the North Carolina residents' claim, that the State created a racially gerrymandered district, raise a valid constitutional issue under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause?

Constitutional question of Shaw V. Reno

it was unconstitutional to draw district lines based only on race per the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause.

Majority opinion of Shaw v. Reno

Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, Majority, minority districts.

Constitutional connection to Shaw v. Reno

Voluntary school prayer was recited in a public NY school about believing in a single god.

Facts of Engel v. Vitale

Does the reading of a nondenominational prayer at the start of the school day violate the "establishment of religion" clause of the First Amendment?

Constitutional question of Engel v. Vitale

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school sponsored prayer was unconstitutional and violated the establishment clause. This set a precedent and clarification for separating prayer and religion from public school, and that the government can’t establish a national religion.

Majority opinion of Engel v. Vitale

1st Amendments Establishment Clause

Constitutional connection to Engel v. Vitale

Amish children are taken out of schools when they turn 14 to help families on the farm. Wisconsin convicted 3 amish people for violating the state’s law requiring children to be in school. Mr. Yoder refused to pay the $5 so he appealed to the supreme court

Facts of Wisconsin v. Yoder

Did Wisconsin's requirement that all parents send their children to school at least until age 16 violate the First Amendment by criminalizing the conduct of parents who refused to send their children to school for religious reasons?

Constitutional question of Wisconsin v. Yoder

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Children were allowed to get taken out of school for religious purposes.

Majority opinion of Wisconsin v. Yoder

1st Amendment Free exercise clause

Constitutional connection of Wisconsin v. Yoder

1. Do the plaintiffs have a right to receive their commissions?
2. Can they sue for their commissions in court?
3. Does the Supreme Court have the authority to order the delivery of their commissions?

Constitutional question of Marbury v. Madison

Writs of mandamus under the Judiciary Act of 1789 is unconstitutional which established judicial review.

Majority opinion of Marbury v. Madison

Judiciary Act of 1789, Writ of Mandamus, Judicial Review

Constitutional connection of Marbury v. Madison

Roe challenged Texas law of only allowing abortion to save a mother’s life.

Facts of Roe v. Wade

Does the Constitution recognize a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy by abortion?

Constitutional question of Roe v. Wade

The supreme court voted 7-2 for too many restrictions on abortions. It also established the right to privacy and right to abortion form the 9th Amendment.

Majority opinion of Roe v. Wade

amendments 1, 4, 5, 9, and 14.

Constitutional connection to Roe v. Wade

The espionage act made it illegal to cause disloyalty in military. He made fliers urging draft-age men to resist the draft, and he was convicted for violating the Espionage Act.

Facts of Schenck v. U.S.

Did Schenck's conviction under the Espionage Act for criticizing the draft violate his First Amendment right to freedom of speech?

Constitutional question of Schenck v. U.S.

the Espionage Act does not violate the 1st Amendment because it was necessary to protect the country from war. It created “clear and present danger” and used Brandenburg v. Ohio for immenent lawless action.

Majority opinion for Schenck v. U.S.

1st Amendment, freedom of speech, Espionage Act, Clear and Present danger test.

Constitutional connection to Schenck v. U.S.

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act/ McCain Feingold Act caused this case to happen because of the restrictions on corporating election spending and advocation. Hillary The Movie was resrtricted by the BCRA, and it was made to persuade democrats to vote for anyone except Clinton.

Facts of Citizens United v. FEC

Does the BCRA’s rule which limits the ability to advocate for candidates break the first amendment which allows political commentary? 

Constitutional question of Citizens United v. FEC

the 1st Amendment allows corporate funding in candidate elections because of free speech. Super-PAC’s were also created.

Majority opinion of Citizens United v. FEC

Free speech clause of 1st Amendment, Super-PAC’s.

Constitutional connection to Citizens United v. FEC

Prior restaint is a form of censorship that allows the government to prevent news publications. The Pentagon Ppaers were the name of the leaked government documents that were leaked to the NY Times by Daniel Ellsberg. The government sud NY Times under the Espionage Act because they refused to not publish the Pentagon Papers.

Facts of NY Times v. US

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Did the Nixon administration's efforts to prevent the publication of what it termed "classified information" violate the First Amendment?

Consitutional question of NY Times v. US

the 1st Amendment’s freedom of press allows the news companies to publicize. Prior restraint was deemed unconstitutional.

Majority opinion of NY Times v. US

Freedom of press from the 1st Amendment, Prior restraint, Pentagon Papers.

Constitutional connection to NY Times v. US

Students protested the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands, that were later banned in schools. Material and substantial disruption is an action that has a goal and significance to restrict another ones expressive thoughts/rights.

Facts of Tinker v. Des Moines

Does a prohibition against the wearing of armbands in public school, as a form of symbolic protest, violate the students' freedom of speech protections guaranteed by the First Amendment?

Constitutional question of Tinker v. Des MOines

1st Amendment Freedom of speech, Symbolic speech, Material and substantial disruption.

COnstitutional connection to TInker v. Des moines

students rights are inalienable regardless of location but students can protest if it doesn’t disrupt others.

Majority opinion of TInker v. Des MOines

In Maryland, a law was passed that would tax the national bank. The chief admin in the bank refused to pay the tax.

Facts of McCulloch v. Maryland

1. Did Congress have the authority to establish the bank?
2. Did the Maryland law unconstitutionally interfere with congressional powers?

Constitutional question of McCulloch v. Maryland

Congress had the power to incorporate the bank and that Maryland could not tax instruments of the national government employed in the execution of constitutional powers. 

Majority opinion of McCulloch v. Maryland

10th Amendment, Supremecy Clause, Necessary and Proper Clause.

Constitutional connection to McCulloch v. Maryland

A senior from Texas hs brought a loaded gun into school. This action broke the GFSZA which was justified by the Commerce Clause. 

Facts of U.S. v. Lopez

Is the 1990 Gun-Free School Zones Act, forbidding individuals from knowingly carrying a gun in a school zone, unconstitutional because it exceeds the power of Congress to legislate under the Commerce Clause?

Constitutional question of US v. Lopez

 the GFSZA didn’t relate to interstate commerce and therefore could not be justified by the Commerce Clause. This regulated the power of Congress, Upheld federalism, and increased the states power.

Majority opinion of US v. Lopez

Commerce Clause

Constitutional connection to U.S. v. Lopez

charged with breaking and entering into a pool house in Florida. He was denies a lawyer because he didn’t have enough money. 

facts of Gideon v. Wainwright

6th Amendment applies to defendants in state courts? 

Constitutional question of Gideon v. Wainwright

the 6th Amendment was selectively incorporated to apply to the states from the 14th Amendment’s due process. It allows everyone a right to an attorney.

majority opinion of Gideon v. Wainwright

6th Amendment, 14th Amendment due process clause

Constitutional connection to Gideon v. Wainwright

Chicago banned guns by creating a long and complicated process to get them registered. Possessing an unregistered gun was a crime.

Facts of McDonald v. Chicago

Does the Second Amendment apply to the states because it is incorporated by the Fourteenth Amendment's Privileges and Immunities or Due Process clauses and thereby made applicable to the states?

Constitutional question of McDonald v. Chicago

self-defense is a basic right that applies to the states under the 14th Amendment.

Majority opinion of McDonald v. Chicago

2nd Amendment, 14th Amendment due process clause

Constitutional connection to McDonald v. Chicago

Segregation in public schools based on race. African American students denied admittance to certain schools.

Facts of Brown v. Board of Education

Does the segregation of public education based solely on race violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment? 

Constitutional question of Brown v. Board of Educaiton

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“seperate but equal” is actually unequal, and it violates the equal protection clause.

Majority opinion of Brown v. Board of Education

Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment

Constitutional connection to Brown v. Board of Education