Supreme Court Cases Flashcards

Flashcards covering key Supreme Court cases and their rulings.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

School-led prayer violates the Establishment Clause.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Free Exercise Clause protects Amish families' refusal of high school education.

Schenck v. U.S. (1919)

Schenck handed out anti-draft leaflets during WWI.

Speech can be limited if it causes a clear and present danger.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

School segregation is unconstitutional.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

A woman challenged Texas laws banning abortion.

Constitution protects abortion rights (now overturned).

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

A Chicago gun ban was challenged under the Second Amendment.

Right to bear arms applies to states.

Gitlow v. New York (1925)

Gitlow was arrested for distributing socialist material.

States must uphold free speech (selective incorporation).

Furman v. Georgia (1972)

The death penalty was applied inconsistently and arbitrarily.

Death penalty was unconstitutional as applied.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Gideon was denied a lawyer because he couldn’t afford one.

States must provide lawyers in criminal cases.

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Police found illegal evidence without a proper warrant. Illegally obtained evidence can't be used (exclusionary rule).

New York Times v. U.S. (1971)

The government tried to stop the NYT from publishing the Pentagon Papers.

Prior restraint is unconstitutional The papers could be published.