AP Gov Mandated Court Cases (SCOTUS)

Marbury V. Madison (1803)

This case established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional, grounded in Article III.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

In this case, the Supreme Court affirmed federal supremacy over state laws regarding federalism, emphasizing the Necessary and Proper Clause and the Supremacy Clause.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

This case determined the limits of free speech under the First Amendment by establishing that speech could be restricted if it poses a clear and present danger.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

This landmark decision declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and reinforcing the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

The Supreme Court ruled that federal courts could intervene in state reapportionment matters, addressing the issue of redistricting and reinforcing the Equal Protection Clause.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

This case ruled that state officials composing an official school prayer and encouraging its recitation in public schools violated the Establishment Clause.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

The Supreme Court held that the Sixth Amendment's guarantee of counsel is applicable to state courts via the Fourteenth Amendment, ensuring the right to legal representation.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

This case affirmed students' rights to free speech in public schools as protected by the First Amendment, as long as it does not disrupt the educational process.

New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)

Reinforcing the freedom of the press, the Supreme Court ruled against prior restraint, emphasizing the First Amendment rights.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

This decision ruled that Amish children could not be mandated to attend school past the eighth grade, upholding their rights under the Free Exercise Clause.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

The Supreme Court found that racial gerrymandering violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, prohibiting districts drawn solely based on race.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

This case ruled that Congress exceeded its authority under the Commerce Clause by banning gun possession in school zones, emphasizing state rights under the Tenth Amendment.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

The Supreme Court affirmed that the right to bear arms for self-defense in one's home is protected by the Second Amendment and applies to state governments via the Fourteenth Amendment.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

This case ruled that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts cannot be limited, reinforcing the First Amendment's protection of free speech.