Supreme Court Cases Quiz

Marbury v Madison

Established judicial review for federal laws by declaring section 13 of the Federal Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional, to the extent that it purports to enlarge the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

Plessy v Ferguson

The "separate but equal" provision of public accomidations by state governments is constitutional under the equal protection clause.

Cooper v Aaron

The court held that since the Supremacy Clause of Article VI made the U.S. constitution the supreme law of the land, and because Marbury vs Madison gave the supreme court the power of judicial review, the precedent set forth in Brown vs Board of Education is the supreme law of the land and is therefore binding on all the states, regardless of any state law contradicting it.

Gibbons v Ogden

The Supreme Court held that the power to regulate interstate navigation was granted to Congress by the Commerce Clause of the constitution and went on to conclude that Congressional power over commerce should extend to the regulation of all aspects of it, overriding state law to the contrary.

Schenck v U.S.

In this case, the court stated, "the question in every case is whether words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about substantive evils that congress has the right to prevent."

Dred Scott v Sanford

Denied African Americans citizenship, emerged from a slave's lawsuit for freedom after residing in free territories. Also declared a portion of the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional because Congress lacked the authority to decide the issue of slavery over the states

Palko v Connecticut

Here, the court stated the5th Amendment right to protection against double jeopardy is not a fundamental right incorporated by the 14th Amendment to the individual states. The court eventually reversed course and incorporated the protection against double jeopardy with it's ruling in Barron vs Baltimore.

Mapp v Ohio

The court stated that the exclusionary rule, banning unconstitutionally obtained evidence from use in criminal prosecutions also applies to the states, meaning that states can't use evidence gained by illegal means to convict someone.

Gideon v Wainwright

Court decided the 6th Amendment right to counsel is a fundamental right applied to the states through the 14th Amendment, and requires that indigent criminal defendants be provided counsel at trial. Modified a previous supreme court decision (Betts 42') that looked to appoint counsel on a case by case basis.

Miranda v Arizona

A landmark decision mandating that a person in custody must, prior to interrogation, be clearly informed that he/she has the right to not incriminate themselves, and that he/she must be clearly informed that they have the right to consult with a lawyer and to have a lawyer with them during interrogation.

Roe v Wade

A US Supreme Court case that resulted in a landmark judicial opinion about privacy being implied not enumerated in the constitution as well as abortion in the United States. Court found a Texas law making it a crime to assist a women to get an abortion violated her due process rights.

McCulloch v Maryland

Although the constitution does not specifically give congress the power to establish a bank, it does delegate the ability to tax and spend, and a bank is a proper and suitable instrument to assist the operations of the government in the collection and disbursement of the revenue.

Engel v Vitale

Struck down state-sponsored prayer in public schools, originated from a challenge to New York's prayer policy, and reaffirmed the separation of church and state in public education

Barron v Baltimore

State governments are not bound by the 5th Amendments requirement, specifically the 5th Amendment's guarantee that government taking of private property for public use require just compensation, in cases of eminent domain.

Gitlow v New York

Though the 14th Amendment prohibits stars from infringing free speech, the defendant was properly convicted under NewYork's criminal anarchy law for advocating the violent overthrow of the government through the dissemination of Communist pamphlets. The case partially reversed Barron v Baltimore.

Weeks v U.S.

The warrentless seizure of documents from a private home violated the 4th Amendment prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure, and evidence obtained in this manner is excluded from use in federal criminal prosecution.

Tinker v Des Moines Iowa

Upheld students' rights to free speech in schools, originated from students' protest of the Vietnam War with armbands, and set a precedent for protecting students' First Amendment rights in educational settings

Chaplinski v New Hampshire

A criminal conviction for causing a breach of the peace through the use of "fighting words" does not violate the free speech guarantee of the 1st Amendment.

Brown v Board of Education

Segregation of students in public schools violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment because separate facilities are inherently unequal. This case overturned Plessy v Ferguson.

Minor v Happersett

Upheld states' rights to deny women the right to vote, originated from a woman's attempt to register to vote in Missouri, and highlighted the limitations of the 14th Amendment in addressing women's suffrage

Bush v Gore

Decided the outcome of the 2000 presidential election, originated from a dispute over the recount in Florida, and effectively awarded Florida's electoral votes to George W. Bush, making him President

Griswold v Connecticut

Court found that this state law criminalizing the use of contraceptives violated the right to marital privacy.

Roth v U.S.

Court stated obscenity was not protected by the 1st Amendment, and, more importantly, strictly defines what is obscene.

Brandenburg v Ohio

Restricted the governments ability to punish free speech ONLY if verbal advocacy of an illegal act is directed to incite or produce imminent lawless and is likely to incite or produce such actions.

Citizens United v FEC

Allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts on political campaigns, originated from a challenge to restrictions on campaign spending by corporations, and expanded the concept of corporate personhood in political speech