15 Required Supreme Court Cases

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• Constitutional Principle: Judicial Review, Article III

• Summary: William Marbury sued James Madison after he didn’t recieve his Judical appointment. The Supreme Court ruled that part of the Judiciary Act of 1789 was unconstitutional, establishing the principle judicial review. This gave courts the authority to strike down laws that contradict with the Constitution.

• Significance: Strengthened the judicial branch by giving it authority to interpret the Constitution and review the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Constitutional Principle: Necessary and Proper Clause, Supremacy Clause

• Summary: Maryland attempted to tax the National Bank, but the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had the power to create the bank under the Necessary and Proper Clause. The Court also decided that states cannot tax federal institutions because federal law is supreme over state law.

• Significance: Strengthened federal power over state power by confirming that Congress has implied powers and that states cannot interfere with legitimate federal actions

Schenck v. United States (1919)

• Constitutional Principle: 1st Amendment — Free Speech

• Summary:Charles Schenck was convicted under the Espionage Act (law designed to criminalize the unauthorized acquisition and dissemination of information related to national defense) for distributing anti-draft pamphlets during WWI. The Supreme Court ruled that speech encouraging resistance to the draft posed a “clear and present danger” to national security and was not protected by the 1st Amendment

• Significance: Established the “clear and present danger” test for limiting free speech during war time.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• Constitutional Principle: Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment)

• Summary: The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. The Court declared separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment

• Significance: This decision ended de jure segregation in public schools and was majority victory for the Civil Rights Movement, paving the way for further challenges to racial segregation in other areas of society.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

• Constitutional Principle: Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment)

• Summary: Citizens challenged Tennessee’s outdated district boundaries that resulted in unequal representation. The Supreme Court ruled that federal courts could get involved in redistricting cases,establishing the “one person, one vote” principle, which requires districts to have nearly equal populations to ensure fair representation.

• Significance: Gave courts power to review Congressional district maps, ensuring districts are fairly drawn.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

• Constitutional Principle: Establishment Clause (First Amendment)

• Summary: The Supreme Court ruled that state-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The Case involved a New York school district requiring students to recite a non-denominational prayer at the the beginning of each school day

• Significance: Strengthened separation of church and state, ensuring that public schools cannot promote religious practices

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

• Constitutional Principle: Sixth Amendment — Right to Counsel

• Summary: Giden was denied a lawyer because Florida only provided counsel in capital cases. The Supreme Court ruled that the 6th Amendment guarantees the right to a legal counsel for all defendants in criminal cases, regardless of whether they can afford an attorney. The ruling mandated that states provide attorneys for indigent defendants in all criminal trials

• Significance; Expanded the right to legal representation, ensuring those that cannot afford an attorney are entitled to one in criminal proceedings.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

• Constitutional Principle: First Amendment — Free Speech (Symbolic Speech)

• Summary: Students wore black armbands to school to protest against the Vietnam War, resulting in suspension. The Supreme Court ruled that symbolic speech in schools is protected under the First Amendment, as long as the educational environment is not disrupted

• Significance; Expanded free speech rights for students, affirming that they do not lose their constitutional rights to freedom of expression when they enter the schoolhouse gate, as long as it does not interfere with learning

New york Times v. United States (1971)

• Constitutional Principle: First Amendment — Freedom of the Press

• Summary: The government tried to block the publication of the Pentagon Papers, claiming it threatened national security. The Supreme Court ruled that prior restraint government censorship before publication is unconstitutional unless there is a direct, proven national security threat

• Significance: Strengthened freedom of the press by limiting the government’s ability to restrict publication of classified information

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

• Constitutional Principle: Free Exercise Clause (First Amendment)

• Summary: Amish families refused to send their children to school beyond the 8th grade due to religious beliefs. The Supreme Court ruled that compelling Amish children to attend school past 8th grade violated their 1st Amendment right to free exercise of religion

• Significance: Strengthened religious exceptions form laws

Roe v. Wade (1973)

• Constitutional Principle; Right to Privacy (Implied in 14th Amendment)

• Summary: The Supreme Court ruled that the right to privacy, which is implied in the Constitution, extends to a woman’s right to have an abortion. The Court determined that laws restricting abortion in the first trimester were unconstitutional, protecting a woman;s choice to terminate her pregnancy within the boundary of privacy rights.

• Significance: Legalized abortion nationwide, later impacted by Dobbs v. Jackson which overturned the right or abortion, allowing states to regulate it as they see fit

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

• Constitutional Principle: Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment)

• Summary: The Supreme Court ruled that racial gerrymandering, where race is the only factor used to create voting districts, is unconstitutional. The Court stated that race cannot be sole reason for drawing district lines, as it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment

• Significance: Limited racial considerations in redistricting, ensuring that district boundaries are not drawn in a way that unfairly segregates voter based solely on race.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

• Constitutional Principle: Commerce Clause

• Summary: Congress passed the Gun-Free School Zones Act, arguing it was related to interstate commerce. The Supreme Court ruled that the law exceeded Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause because carrying a gun in a school zone does not have a direct connection to interstate commerce. This was the first time in decades that the Court limited the scope of the Commerce Clause.

• Significance: Limited federal power under the Commerce Clause, reinforcing the idea that not all activities can be regulated by the federal government under the commerce clause.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

• Constitutional Principle: First Amendment — Free Speech

• Summary: The Supreme Court ruled that under the First Amendment, corporations and unions have the right to spend unlimited money on political campaigns and advertisements. As long as they don’t give money directly to a candidate’s campaign This type of spending is considered a form of free speech

• Significance: led to the creation of Super PAC’s, allowing for unlimited independent political spending and increasing the influence of money in elections.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

• Constitutional Principle: 2nd Amendment, Selective Incorporation

• Summary: Chicago’s law effectively banned handgun ownership by requiring all firearms to be registered while refusing to allow handgun registrations. The Supreme Court ruled that the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms applies to state and local governments through the 14th Amendment’s Due Process Clause

• Significance: Incorporated the 2nd Amendment, limiting sate and local gun restrictions and reinforcing individual gun rights nationwide.