Supreme Court Precedent

Established the principle of "judicial review."

Marbury v. Madison

Decided that slaves were property and not citizens

Dred Scott v. Sandford

Strengthened national power over the states

McCulloch v. Maryland

Established the “separate but equal” doctrine

Plessy v. Ferguson

Abolished the “separate but equal” doctrine

Brown v. Board of Education

Decreed that police must inform suspects of their rights when they are arrested

Miranda v. Arizona

Decided that women have full freedom to choose abortion during the first trimester

Roe v. Wade

Decided that the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to license and recognize same-sex marriage

Obergefell v. Hodges

Held that the involuntary internment of citizens during times of war by the government is justified based on military necessity.

Korematsu v. United States

Decided that symbolic speech – no matter how offensive to some – is protected

Texas v. Johnson

Affirmed the First Amendment rights of students in schools with conditions.

Tinker v. Des Moines

Decided that there were limitations to executive privilege relating to presidential communications 

United States v. Nixon

Guarantees the right of free legal counsel to anyone accused of a crime at the federal and state levels. 

Gideon v. Wainwright

Held that corporate and labor funding of campaign advertisements cannot be limited.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

Held that  the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep and bear arms

District of Columbia v. Heller

Found that educators can exercising censor student speech in school-sponsored expressive activities so long as their actions are reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier