Courts Cases Ensemble

Citizens United v. FEC

1st Amendment

Engel v. Vitale

1st Amendment

West Virginia Board of Ed v. Barnette

1st Amendment

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier

1st Amendment

Texas v. Johnson

1st Amendment

Tinker v. Des Moines

1st Amendment

D.C. v. Heller

2nd Amendment

Mapp v. Ohio

4th Amendment

New Jersey v. T. L. O.

4th Amendment

Miranda v. Arizona

5th Amendment & 6th Amendment

Gideon v. Wainwright

5th Amendment & 6th Amendment

Gideon v. Wainwright

5th Amendment & 6th Amendment

Brown v. Board of Education

13th Amendment & 14th Amendment

Regents of U.C. v. Bakke

13th Amendment & 14th Amendment

Dred Scott v. Sanford

Missouri Compromise

Gibbons v. Ogden

Commerce Clause

Korematsu v. U.S.

5th Amendment & 14th Amendment

Marbury v. Madison

Judicial Review

McCullough v. Maryland

Necessary and Proper Clause

Roe v. Wade

14th Amendment

U.S. v. Nixon

None, “no one is above the law!”

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established judicial review, giving the Supreme Court power to strike down unconstitutional laws.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Confirmed Congress’s implied powers (under the Necessary and Proper Clause) and ruled that states can’t tax the federal government.

United States v. Nixon (1974)

Limited presidential power; held that executive privilege is not absolute—Nixon had to turn over Watergate tapes.

U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

Restricted Congress’s use of the Commerce Clause; struck down the Gun-Free School Zones Act as beyond federal power.

Bush v. Gore (2000)

Stopped Florida’s recount in the 2000 election, effectively awarding the presidency to George W. Bush.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Limited free speech during wartime; introduced the “clear and present danger” test.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Protected student free speech (wearing black armbands against Vietnam War).

New York Times v. United States (1971)

Reinforced freedom of the press; government can’t censor the press unless there’s a direct, immediate threat (Pentagon Papers case).

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Flag burning protected as free speech under the First Amendment.

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988)

Schools can censor student newspapers if related to legitimate educational concerns.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Prohibited government-sponsored prayer in public schools; violated Establishment Clause.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Amish families can’t be forced to send children to school past 8th grade; upheld freedom of religion.

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Applied the exclusionary rule to states: illegally obtained evidence can’t be used in court.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Guaranteed right to an attorney for defendants in criminal cases.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Required police to inform suspects of their rights (“Miranda rights”) before interrogation.

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

Upheld internment of Japanese Americans during WWII as a “military necessity.”

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Recognized a woman’s right to choose abortion under the right to privacy.

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)

Affirmed that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own firearms for lawful purposes (like self-defense).

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Established that courts can review redistricting issues; led to “one person, one vote.”