14 Must-Know Supreme Court Cases - AP Government & Politics

Flashcards covering the essential Supreme Court cases for AP Government & Politics, including constitutional issues, rulings, and key legal concepts.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

The Supreme Court case that established judicial review under Article III, granting the Court the authority to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional and making it a co-equal branch of government.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

A landmark case involving the Necessary and Proper and Supremacy Clauses, ruling that Congress has implied powers and that states cannot tax the federal government.

U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

A ruling that set limits on Congress's ability to regulate local activities by declaring that regulating non-economic activity exceeded power under the Commerce Clause.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

A First Amendment case concerning the Establishment Clause which ruled that state-sponsored prayer in public schools is unconstitutional, reinforcing the separation of church and state.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

A ruling under the First Amendment Free Exercise Clause that protected religious practices by stating states cannot force Amish children to attend school past 8th grade.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

A First Amendment Free Speech case establishing that students do not lose their rights at school and their speech is protected unless it causes a substantial disruption to learning.

New York Times v. United States (1971)

A case strengthening freedom of the press by limiting prior restraint, ruling that the government cannot prevent the publication of information without proof of direct harm.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

A First Amendment case that introduced the 'clear and present danger' standard, allowing the government to limit speech during times of national threat.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

A Sixth Amendment case ensuring the Right to Counsel, ruling that states must provide an attorney to criminal defendants who cannot afford one.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

A case based on the Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination, requiring police to inform suspects of their rights, such as the right to remain silent, before interrogation.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

A case that recognized the right to privacy (grounded in the 14th Amendment Due Process Clause), protecting a woman's constitutional right to choose abortion prior to viability.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

A 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause case that overturned 'separate but equal' by ruling that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

A ruling based on the Equal Protection Clause that made legislative redistricting a justiciable issue in federal courts, establishing the 'one person, one vote' principle.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

A 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause case that limited the use of race as the primary factor in drawing voting districts, ruling that racial gerrymandering may be unconstitutional.

Judicial Review

The power established by Marbury v. Madison (1803) that allows the Supreme Court to call 'fouls' by declaring acts of the president or Congress unconstitutional.

Prior Restraint

The government's attempt to censor information before it is published, which was significantly limited by the ruling in New York Times v. United States (1971).