ap gov SCOTUS cases

Gideon v Wainwright

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1963 that held that the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to counsel for defendants in criminal cases, even if they cannot afford an attorney.

New York Times v US

A significant Supreme Court case in 1971 that upheld the right of the press to publish information without prior restraint, reinforcing freedom of speech under the First Amendment.

Marbury v Madison

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1803 that established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Court to invalidate laws that are contrary to the Constitution.

Shaw v Reno

A crucial Supreme Court case in 1993 that ruled that redistricting based on race must be held to a standard of strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Baker v Carr

A significant Supreme Court case in 1962 that established the principle of one-person, one-vote, ruling that federal courts can intervene in state redistricting issues.

Engel v Vitale

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1962 that ruled it unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools, violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Tinker v Des Moines

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1969 that ruled students do not lose their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech at school, as long as their expression does not disrupt the educational process.

Schenk v United States

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1919 that upheld the conviction of Charles Schenck for violating the Espionage Act, establishing the "clear and present danger" standard for limiting free speech.

McDonald v Chicago

A landmark Supreme Court case in 2010 that held the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is applicable to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause.

United States v Lopez

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1995 that limited Congress's power under the Commerce Clause by ruling that carrying a gun in a school zone is not an economic activity that affects interstate commerce.

Citizens United v Federal Election Comission

A landmark Supreme Court case in 2010 that ruled corporations and unions can spend unlimited money on political campaigns under the First Amendment, reflecting that political spending is a form of protected speech.

Brown v Board of Education

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1954 that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, effectively overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and mandating desegregation.

Wisconsin v Yoder

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1972 that ruled that Wisconsin's compulsory school attendance law was unconstitutional as applied to the Amish, emphasizing the importance of religious freedom and parental rights in education.

McCullouch v Maryland

A significant Supreme Court case in 1819 that affirmed the federal government's authority to create a national bank and established the principle of federal supremacy over state laws.