Supreme Court Cases and Clauses

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established the Court's power of judicial review

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Congress has implied powers to implement the Constitution's expressed powers and a state cannot impeded on this

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

only Congress can regulate interstate commerce

Barron v. Baltimore (1833)

The Court determined the Bill of Rights did not apply to the state governments, establishing a precedent that lasted until the 14th amendment

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

the Court held that US citizenship did not extend to people of African descent

Ex parte Miligan (1866)

the Court held that military tribunals to try civilians when civil courts are operating is unconstitutional

Plessey v. Ferguson (1896)

Racial segregation did not violate the 14th amendment

Schenck v United States (1919)

the words used by Schenck created a "clear and present danger" and were not protected by the 1st amendment

Near v. Minnesota (1931)

prior restraint in publications under the Minnesota law was a violation of the 1st amendment

West Virginia v. Barnette (1943)

first amendment protects students from being forces to salute the flag in school

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

Internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII does not violate 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause (gets strict scrutiny but national security is a good enough reason to justify the racial discrimination).

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

racial segregation in public schools is a violation of the 14th amendment (separate but equal for educational facilities is unconstitutional)

Cooper v. Aaron (1958)

States must enforce federal law even if they disagree with them

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Evidence obtained unconstitutionally cannot be used in court

Baker v. Carr (1962)

the Supreme Court ruled that a state legislature would have to redraw their representative districts in order to comply with the Constitution.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

states must provide attorneys to criminal defendents who are unable to afford their own

New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)

a newspaper cannot be held liable for making false and defamatory statements about the conduct of an official unless those statements were made with malice.

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

married couples should be able to access contraception without government interference.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Prosecutors cannot use a person's statements in response to interrogation in police custory unless they can prove that person has been informed of their rights

In re Gault (1967)

Juveniles tried for crimes in delinquency proceedings are also protected under due process

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

a public school could not punish a student for peaceful protest if it did not interfere with school discipline

New York Times v. United States (1971)

Government can almost never use prior restraint (crossing out sections of an article before publication)-protections for the press were established here. Defense Department employee Daniel Ellsburg leaked some confidential files indicating that the war in Vietnam was going poorly, the government sought to prevent the publication of these "Pentagon Papers" by the New York Times. Court held that executive efforts to prevent the publication violated the 1st Amendment were forbidden

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

The Court held that individual's interests in the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment outweighed the State's interests in compelling school attendance beyond the eighth grade.

Roe v Wade (1973)

a woman has liberty to choose to have an abortion; but this freedom is not absolute and must be balanced against the health of the mother and fetus

United States v. Nixon (1974)

The Court ordered President Nixon to deliver tape recordings and subpoenaed materials to a federal district court.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

the University of California could not reserve spots just for minority students

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988)

school administrators could exercise prior restraint of school-sponsored expression if its related to legitimate concerns

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

burning the American flag is protected by the first amendment as it is symbolic speech

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

using racial reasons for redistricting is unconstitutional

U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

Supreme Court declared Gun-Free School Zones Act exceeded Congress's Commerce Clause power and was therefore unconstitutional.

Bush v. Gore (2000)

The different standards of courting votes in different counties violated the Equal Protection clause

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)

The 2nd amendment allows for firearms in the home for the purpose of self-defense. Also ruled that a ban on handguns was unconstitutional.

Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010)

the government cannot restrict independent expenditures for political campaigns from corporations, labor unions, and others

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

States cannot deny the rights of people of the same sex to get married

neccessary and proper clause

Congress retains the power to pass any law that is neccessary and proper to carry out its constitutional duties

Commerce Clause

Clause stating that Congress can regulate interstate and international commerce.

Dobbs v. Jackson's Women's Health 2022

the constitution does not confer a right to an abortion. Roe v. Wade is overturned and abortion laws are now determined by the states

Supremacy Clause

Constitution is the supreme law of the land