Cases to Know PF

AP U.S. Gov - Mr. Bass

Marbury v. Madison (1803, Marshall Court)

Established the principle of judicial review meaning that courts have the power to strike down laws and statutes that they find to violate the Constitution

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819, Marshall Court)

Established the “Necessary and Proper” Clause which gives the U.S. federal government certain implied powers that are not explicitly enumerated in the Constitution, and secondly that the American federal government is supreme over the states

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824, Marshall Court)

The power to regulate interstate commerce belongs to the federal government, granted to Congress by the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution

Worcester v. Georgia (1832, Marshall Court)

Laid out the relationship between tribes and the state and federal governments; built the foundations of the doctrine of tribal sovereignty in the U.S.

Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)

Held that the Constitution was not meant to include American citizenship for people of African descent and so the rights and privileges upon American citizens could not apply to them. This was before the 13th and 14th Amendments will change the Constitution

Munn v. Illinois (1877)

Granger (farmer) case, the Court upheld the power of state governments to regulate private industries that affect “the common good.” Upheld business regulation under the Interstate Commerce Act

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Codified the doctrine for racial segregation laws. In the eyes of the court, if the separated facilities were equal in quality, they did not violate the 14th Amendment

Insular Cases (1901)

Citizens of U.S. territories acquired in the Spanish-American War may lack some constitutional rights. Allowed for the U.S. government to extend unilateral power over these territories

Schenck v. US (1919)

Unanimous decision that established the clear and present danger doctrine. 1st Amendment did not protect protest of war (distributed flyers) during the war

Korematsu v. US (1944)

Upheld the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Upheld President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066

Brown v. Board of Education (1954, Warren Court)

Reversed Plessy v. Ferguson and ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public facilities were unconstitutional

Baker v. Carr (1961, Warren Court)

Ruled that redistricting qualifies as a constitutional question under the 14th Amendment; established the one person-one vote principle

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. US (1964, Warren Court)

The Commerce Clause gave the U.S. government the power to force private businesses to abide by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in private businesses

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963, Warren Court)

In criminal cases states are required under the 6th Amendment to provide an attorney to defendants who are unable to afford their own attorneys

Escobedo v. Illinois (1964, Warren Court)

Criminal suspects have a right to counsel during police interrogations under the 6th Amendment

Miranda v. Arizona (1966, Warren Court)

Restricts prosecutors from using a person’s statements made in interrogation in police custody due to the 5th Amendment; required that suspects were informed of their rights

New York Times v. US (1971)

Made it possible for The NY Times and Washington Post newspapers to publish the then-classified Pentagon Papers without risk of government censorship or punishment

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restrictions

US v. Nixon (1974)

During the Watergate scandal, ordered President Nixon to deliver tape recordings and other subpoenaed materials to a federal district court despite his claim of executive privilege 

Bush v. Gore (2000)

Settled a recount dispute in Florida’s 2000 president election between George W. Bush and Al Gore by stopping the recount in Florida counties