Landmark Supreme Court Cases and Constitutional Amendments: U.S. Government

Scott v. Sandford, 1857 (Dred Scott Case)

decedents from slaves aren't citizens, and congress couldn't ban slavery

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Separate but equal

Reynolds v United States (1879)

First Amendment protects religious belief, but not criminal practices related to religious belief (polygamy), 1878

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Speech creating a "clear and present danger" is not protected by the First Amendment

Yick Wo v. Hopkins (1886)

Supreme Court decision in 1886 overturning San Francisco law that, as enforced, discriminated against Chinese-owned laundries; established principle that equal protection of the law embodied in Fourteenth Amendment applied to all Americans, not just former slaves.

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

Ruled that American citizens of Japanese descent could be interned and deprived of basic constitutional rights due to executive order

Hernandez v. Texas (1954)

A 1954 Supreme Court decision that extended protection against discrimination to Hispanics.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Extended the Exclusionary Rule to the states, increasing the protections for defendants

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

School sponsorship of religious activities violates the establishment clause

U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

Gun Free School Zones Act exceeded Congress's authority to regulate interstate commerce. The first case to begin reigning in Congress's authority under the Commerce Clause.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that a defendant in a felony trial must be provided a lawyer free of charge if the defendant cannot afford one.

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

Censorship cases ("prior restraint") - Speech that addresses matters of public concern may not be censored.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Established Miranda warnings of counsel and silence. Must be given before questioning. Warren Court's judicial activism in criminal rights.

Loving v. Virginia (1967)

State prohibition against inter-racial marriage violates equal protection

Tinker v. DesMoines (1969)

the court ruled that the wearing of armbands to make a political statement was protected by the 1st amendment as "symbolic speech".As long as there was no substantial or material interference with the educational process, it could not be interfered with by school officials

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Amish people refused to send their children to school past the 8th grade when the state required public schooling for all children until age16. Result: This law is in conflict with the Free Exercise clause. The statute is in direct conflict with Amish beliefs. The Amish may teach themselves.

Miller v. California (1973)

Supreme Court decision that avoided defining obscenity by holding that community standards be used to determine whether material is obscene in terms of appealing to a "prurient interest" and being "patently offensive" and lacking in value

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Abortion rights fall within the privacy implied in the 14th amendment

Gregg v. Georgia (1976)

Established that the death penalty does not necessarily violate the Constitution

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

strict racial quotas are unconstitutional

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Flag-burning is symbolic speech with a political purpose and is protected by 1st Amendment.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Incorporated the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms to the states

Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

state law may not ban sexual relations between same-sex partners

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)

Citizens have a right to possess firearms at home for self-defense.

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

Same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.

1st Amendment

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms

4th amendmant

Prohibits government intrusion against unreasonable searches and seizures against a person or property / requires probable cause and/or warrants

5th amendmant

Right against self incrimination

Double Jeopardy - No person shall be tried for the same offense twice

6th Amendment

The right to a Speedy Trial by jury, representation by an attorney for an accused person

8th amendment

No cruel or unusual punishment

13th Amendment (1865)

abolished slavery

14th Amendment (1868)

citizenship, due process, equal protection

15th Amendment (1870)

States cannot deny any person the right to vote because of race.

19th Amendment (1920)

Gave women the right to vote

24th Amendment (1964)

Prohibits federal and state governments from charging poll tax