Key Supreme Court Cases and Their Impact on Civil Liberties

A collection of flashcards on significant Supreme Court cases that impact civil liberties and legal rights.

Brown v. Mississippi

Ruled that confessions obtained through torture by law enforcement are inadmissible in court.

Terry v. Ohio

Established the constitutionality of police 'stop and frisk' procedures based on reasonable suspicion.

Miranda v. Arizona

Established the Miranda rights, protecting defendants' rights during custodial interrogation.

Escobedo v. Illinois

Established the right of criminal suspects to have an attorney present during police questioning.

Mapp v. Ohio

Ruled that evidence obtained by violating the 4th Amendment cannot be used in state criminal trials.

Chimel v. California

Established that police can search the area immediately around an arrested person without a warrant.

U.S. v. Leon

Established the 'good faith' exception to the 4th Amendment exclusionary rule.

Gagnon v. Scarpelli

Established the right to a due process hearing before probation can be revoked.

Tennessee v. Garner

Ruled that police cannot use deadly force against a fleeing suspect unless they pose a serious threat.

Morrissey v. Brewer

Established the right of parolees to a hearing before their parole is revoked.

Estelle v. Gamble

Established that deliberate indifference to an inmate’s serious medical needs violates the 8th Amendment.

Cruz v. Beto

Ruled that inmates must have a reasonable opportunity to practice their faith.

O’Lone v. Estate of Shabazz

Allowed prisons to restrict religious practices if justified by legitimate security concerns.

Pennsylvania v. Mimms

Held that police can order a driver out of a vehicle during a traffic stop for officer safety.

Maryland v. Wilson

Extended Pennsylvania v. Mimms, allowing police to order passengers out of a vehicle during a traffic stop.

Arizona v. Gant

Limited police searches of vehicles after an arrest to when the arrestee could access the vehicle.

Whren v. U.S.

Ruled that traffic stops are reasonable if police have probable cause of a traffic violation.

New York v. Quarles

Created a 'public safety' exception to Miranda, allowing unwarned statements in immediate threats.

Weeks v. U.S.

Established the exclusionary rule at the federal level, barring illegal evidence from court.

Gideon v. Wainwright

Guaranteed the right to court-appointed counsel for state felony cases.

Argersinger v. Hamlin

Extended the right to appointed counsel to misdemeanor cases where jail time is possible.

Betts v. Brady

Ruled states were not required to provide an attorney to indigent defendants except in special circumstances.

Strickland v. Washington

Established the right to effective counsel and a two-prong test for ineffective assistance of counsel.

Batson v. Kentucky

Prohibited race-based peremptory challenges in jury selection.

Carroll v. US

Established that police can search a vehicle without a warrant under certain conditions.

US v. Ross

Allowed police to search compartments within a vehicle if probable cause exists.

JEB v. Alabama

Ruled that jurors cannot be excluded based on gender.