APUSH Court Cases

obergefell vs hodges

2015

ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the due process clause and the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment

citizens United vs federal election commission

2010

determined that Corporate, union and nonprofit funding of independent, political, broadcasts, in candidate elections cannot be limited as it is protected as free speech

bush vs gore

2000

halted the manual recount of votes in Florida during the 2000 presidential election, effectively resolving the election in favor of George W. Bush

regents of the University of California vs Bakke

1978

ruled that while affirmative action in the use of race as a factor in college admissions is permissible, strict racial quotas are unconstitutional

Roe vs wade

1973

Ruled that the constitutional right to privacy extends to a woman’s right to have an abortion, though it was later overturned in 2022

miranda vs arizona

1966

Mandated that police must inform arrested suspects of their constitutional rights, (the right to remain silent in the right to an attorney) before questioning

New York Times co. vs sullivan

1964

protected freedom of the press by ruling the public officials suing for libel must prove “actual malice”. The court ruled that the first amendment requires public officials to prove a publisher knew a statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth

escobedo vs illinois

1964

decided that criminal suspects have a right to council during police interrogations and that confessions obtained without one’s are inadmissible

gideon vs wainwright

1963

ruled that states are required under the sixth amendment to provide an attorney to defendants in criminal case cases Who cannot afford one

engel vs vitale

1962

declared that school sponsored mandatory prayer in public schools, violated the first amendment’s separation of Church and state

brown vs board of education

1954

overturned Plessy versus Ferguson, ruling that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional Because “ Separate but equal” Is inherently unequal

korematsu vs united states

1944

upheld the US governments decision to intern Japanese Americans during WWll, Stating that national security Outweighed individual civil rights

Adkins vs Children’s hospital

1923

ruled that minimum wage laws for women violated their constitutional right to negotiate their own contracts - Found that federal minimum wage legislation for women was an unconstitutional Infringement of liberty of contract

schenck vs united states

1919

Ruled that free speech could be limited if it presented a “ Clear and present danger” (such as urging people to avoid the military draft during war time)

mueller vs oregon

1908

upheld the state law limiting the workday for women to 10 hours, citing sociological data on the health of women

lochner vs new york

1905

struck down a New York law limiting the number of hours bakers could work, ruling that it interfered with an individual’s “freedom of contract” under the 14th amendment

plessy vs ferguson

1896

upheld racial segregation laws by Creating The separate but equal doctrine, which allowed for segregated public Facilities

wabash, st. louis and pacific railway co. vs illinois

1886

Limited the powers of states to regulate interstate commerce, ruling that only the federal government could control railroads crossing state lines

munn vs illinois

1877

ruled that private property dedicated to public use - like grain elevators in railroads - is subject to government regulation

dred scott vs sandford

1857

declared that enslaved people and their descendants We’re not US citizens and could not sue federal court, Further ruling that Congress could not ban slavery in the territories

worchester vs georgia

1832

ruled that the Cherokee nation was a distinct sovereign territory and that individual states had no authority to pass laws regulating them

Cherokee nation vs georgia

1831

decided that Native American tribes were not “foreign nations”, but rather “domestic independent nations”. this means that the Supreme Court lacked the authority to stop Georgia from seizing Cherokee lands

gibbons vs ogden

1824

defined the commerce clause, ruling that Congress, not individual states, has the sole authority to regulate interstate commerce

McCulloch vs maryland

1819

upheld the doctrine of implied powers under the “ Necessary and Proper” Clause, granting Congress, the authority to enact policies, not explicitly outlined in the Constitution. It also established federal supremacy, preventing states from taxing federal instrumentalities

marbury vs madison

1803

established the principle of judicial review, affirming the Supreme Court’s authority to strike down laws, executive actions, or statute that conflict with the US Constitution