Supreme court decisions

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established the principle of judicial review, which gives the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Upheld the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States and reinforced the supremacy of federal law over state law.

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

Ruled that African Americans, whether free or slave, could not be American citizens and thus had no standing to sue in federal court.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine of 'separate but equal.'

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, declaring that 'separate but equal' schools are inherently unequal and mandated the desegregation of public schools.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Held that the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to counsel for defendants in criminal cases, even if they cannot afford one.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Established the 'Miranda rights,' requiring police to inform suspects of their rights to remain silent and to an attorney during arrest and interrogation.

Loving v. Virginia (1967)

Struck down state laws banning interracial marriage, ruling they violated the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)

Protected students' rights to free speech in public schools, ruling that students don't lose their First Amendment rights at school unless their actions disrupt the educational process.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Legalized abortion nationwide, ruling that a woman's right to choose an abortion is protected by the right to privacy implied by the Constitution.

United States v. Nixon (1974)

Reaffirmed the principle that no one, not even the president, is above the law.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

Ruled that racial quotas in university admissions are unconstitutional, but race can be considered as a factor in admissions to promote diversity.

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Protected flag burning as a form of symbolic speech under the First Amendment, ruling that it was not a crime to desecrate the American flag in protest.

Bush v. Gore (2000)

Effectively decided the 2000 presidential election, halting the recount in Florida and giving George W. Bush the victory.