civil rights cases

Slaughterhouse Cases

Ruled that the Privileges & Immunities Clause protected citizens from the Federal government, but *not* state governments.

Civil Rights Cases

Ruled that the Equal Protection Clause does *not* apply to private business/property.

Plessey v Ferguson

Established the doctrine of *'Separate but Equal'*, leading to Jim Crow laws.

Minor v. Happersett

Ruled that *Women's suffrage is not an inherent right* under the 14th Amendment.

United States v. Caroline Products Company

Significance is tied to laws that 'Restricted the Democratic Process' and discriminated against racial, ethnic, or religious minorities.

Smith v. Allwright

Established that any law using race triggers strict scrutiny and must be shown to be 'necessary or compelling'.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

Overturned Plessey v Ferguson. Ruled that *'Separate but equal was inherently contradictory'* and unconstitutional.

Loving v. Virginia

Held that the ban on *Interracial marriage was unconstitutional*.

Regents v. Bakke

Ruled that *Race may be used as a factor* in college admissions, but it cannot be the only factor. (This decision was later overturned in 2023).

Wygant v. Jackson Board of Education

Ruled that broad Affirmative Action programs are *unconstitutional and must be narrowly tailored*.

Richmond v. Croson Co.

Ruled that broad Affirmative Action programs are *unconstitutional and must be narrowly tailored*.

Adarand Constructors v. Pena

Established that the rulings requiring affirmative action programs to be 'narrowly tailored' *apply to the Federal Government* as well.

Miller v. Johnson

Ruled that *Race could not be used to draw Congressional District lines*.

University of Michigan Case

Reaffirmed the Bakke decision (1978), stating that *race can be a factor* in public university acceptance, but not the factor. (This decision was later overturned in 2023).

SFFA v. Harvard & SFFA v. University of North Carolina

Overturned Regents v. Bakke Ruled that Affirmative Action is unconstitutional, making universities race blind

Ricci v. DeStefano

Ruled that *Reverse discrimination is not permitted*.

Craig v. Boren

Established that gender is a *'somewhat' suspect class, meaning Strict Scrutiny is not applied. Instead, Intermediate Scrutiny* is used, requiring the use of gender to be substantially related to an important objective.

United States v Virginia

Ruled that *VMI (Virginia Military Institute) exclusion of women was unconstitutional*.

Roe v Wade

*Guaranteed abortion rights*.

Harris v. Forklift Systems Inc.

Ruled that workers in sexual harassment cases *do not have to prove psychological harm or inability to do their jobs, but only that the work environment is hostile or abusive*.

Bowers v. Hardwick

*Upheld Georgia's ban on gay sex*.

Romer v. Evans

Ruled that *State laws designed to deny basic civil rights to gays and lesbians are unconstitutional*.

Lawrence v Texas

Ruled that *Anti-Sodomy laws are unconstitutional*.

Obergefell v. Hodges

Ruled that *Same-Sex Marriage is legal in all 50 states*.