Supreme Court Cases Quiz

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Marbury V. Madison (1803, Marshall)

The court established its role as the arbiter of the constitutionality of federal laws, the principle is known as judicial review.

McCulloch V Maryland (1819, Marshall)

The Court ruled that the States cannot tax the federal government, i.e. the Bank of the United States; the phrase “the power to tax is the power to destroy”; confirmed the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States.

Gibbons V. Ogden (1824, Marshall)

Clarified the Commerce Clause and affirmed Congressional power over interstate commerce.

Cherokee Nation V. Georgia (1832, Marshall)

“The conditions of the Indians in relation to the United States is perhaps unlike that of any two people in existence,” Chief Justice John Marshall wrote, “their relation to the United States resembles that of a ward to his guardian…(they were a) domestic dependent nation.” Established a “trust relationship” with the tribes directly under federal authority.

Worcester V. Georgia (1832, Marshall)

Established tribal autonomy within their boundaries , i.e. the tribes were “distinct political communities, having territorial boundaries within which their authority is exclusive.”

Charles River Bridge V. Warren Bridge (1837, Taney)

The interests of the community are more important than the interests of business; the supremacy of society’s interest over private interest.

Commonwealth V. Hunt (1841)

Declared that labor unions were lawful organizations and that the strike was a lawful weapon.

Scott V. Sanford (1857, Taney)

Speaking for a widely divided court, Chief Justice Taney ruled that Dred Scott was not a citizen and he had no standing in court; Scott’s residence in a free state and territory had not made him free since he returned to Missouri; Congress had to power to prohibit slavery in a territory (based on the 5th Amendment right of a person to be secure from seizure of property), thus avoiding the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

Ex Part Milligan (1866)

Ruled that a civilian could not be tried in military courts while civil courts are available.

Pollock V. The Farmers’ Loan and trust Co.(1895)

Declared the income tax under the Wilson Gorman Tariff to be unconstitutional

Plessy V. Ferguson (1896)

Legalized segregation in publicly owned facilities on the basis of “separate but equal.”

”InsularCases” / Downes V. Bidwell (1901)

Confirmed the right of the federal government to places tariffs on goods entering the U.S. from U.S. territories on the grounds that “the Constitution does not follow the flag.”

Lochner V. New York (1905)

Declared unconstitutional a New York act limiting the working hours of bakers due to a denial of the 14th amendment rights.

Schenck V. U.S. (1919)

Unanimously upheld the Espionage Act of 1917 which declared that people who interfered with the war effort were subject to imprisonment; declared that the first amendment right to freedom of speech was not absolute; free speech could be limited if its exercise presented a “clear and present danger” 

Adkins V. Children’s Hospital (1923)

Declared unconstitutional a minimum wage law for women on the grounds that it denied women freedom of contract

Korematsu V. U.S. (1941)

The court upheld the constitutionality of detention camps for Japanese Americans during World War 2

Ex Parte Endo (1944)

The court forbade the internment of Japanese Americans born in the U.S.

Gideon V. Wainwright (1963)

Extends to the defendant the right of counsel 

Miranda V. Arizona (1966)

Roe V. Wade (1973)

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

Clinton V, Jones (1997)

Bush V. Gore (2000)