Court Cases

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established the principle of judicial review, empowering the Supreme Court to declare legislative or executive acts unconstitutional.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Established the supremacy of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws over state laws in a case involving a national bank and state taxes.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Ruled that speech creating a "clear and present danger" is not protected by the First Amendment and can be limited.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Held that race-based school segregation violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Decided that redistricting challenges are justiciable in federal court under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, rather than being non-justiciable political questions.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Ruled that school-sponsored religious activities violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Extended the Sixth Amendment right to an attorney to felony defendants in state courts via procedural due process.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Held that banning public school students from wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War violated First Amendment freedom of speech.

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

Strengthened First Amendment freedom of the press by establishing a "heavy presumption against prior restraint," even regarding national security.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Ruled that compelling Amish students to attend school past the eighth grade violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Decided that majority-minority redistricting plans can be challenged under the Equal Protection Clause if race is the predominant factor used in drawing boundaries.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Ruled that Congress exceeded its Commerce Clause power by banning gun possession in a school zone.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Incorporated the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense against state and local governments.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Held that political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is protected speech under the First Amendment.