Constitutional Law Court Cases Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers landmark Supreme Court cases and their holdings regarding due process, criminal procedure, equal protection, and privacy rights.

Minnick v. Mississippi (1990)

Once a suspect requests counsel, police cannot restart questioning unless the attorney is present.

New York v. Quarles (1984)

Public safety concerns can justify questioning before Miranda warnings.

Bolling v. Sharpe (1954)

School segregation in Washington, D.C., violated the Due Process Clause of the 5th Amendment.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal and violate the Equal Protection Clause.

United States v. Windsor (2013)

DOMA's definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman was unconstitutional.

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

States must license and recognize same-sex marriages.

In re Gault (1967)

Juveniles are entitled to due process rights similar to adults.

Goss v. Lopez (1975)

Students must receive basic due process before suspension.

Klopfer v. North Carolina (1967)

The Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial applies to state governments.

Barker v. Wingo (1972)

Created a balancing test to determine whether speedy trial rights were violated.

Doggett v. United States (1992)

Excessive delays can violate the right to a speedy trial even without proof of specific prejudice.

In re Oliver (1948)

Secret criminal trials violate the Sixth Amendment right to a public trial.

Sheppard v. Maxwell (1966)

Courts must protect defendants from prejudicial publicity.

Gannett Co. v. DePasquale (1979)

The public does not have a constitutional right to attend every pretrial proceeding.

Richmond Newspapers v. Virginia (1980)

Criminal trials are generally open to the public under the First Amendment.

Duncan v. Louisiana (1968)

The Sixth Amendment jury trial right applies to state criminal cases.

Williams v. Florida (1970)

A jury does not have to contain twelve members to satisfy the Constitution.

Apodaca v. Oregon (1972)

At the time, non-unanimous state jury verdicts were allowed.

Ramos v. Louisiana (2020)

The Sixth Amendment requires unanimous jury verdicts in serious criminal cases.

Parker v. Gladden (1966)

Outside influence on jurors violated the defendant's right to an impartial jury.

Batson v. Kentucky (1986)

Prosecutors cannot exclude jurors solely because of race.

Powers v. Ohio (1991)

Any defendant may challenge race-based juror exclusions.

Pointer v. Texas (1965)

The 6th Amendment right to confront witnesses and cross-examine them applies to the states through the 14th Amendment.

Coy v. Iowa (1988)

The use of a screen between the defendant and victims violated the Confrontation Clause as defendants generally have a right to face accusers.

Maryland v. Craig (1990)

Face-to-face confrontation is not always required if protecting a child witness serves an important state interest.

Washington v. Texas (1967)

Defendants have the right to compel witnesses to testify in their defense.

United States v. Nixon (1974)

Executive privilege is not absolute; the President was required to surrender subpoenaed tape recordings.

Johnson v. Zerbst (1938)

Federal courts must provide counsel to indigent defendants unless the right is knowingly waived.

Powell v. Alabama (1932)

Defendants in state capital cases must receive effective legal representation.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

States must provide attorneys to indigent defendants charged with felonies.

Argersinger v. Hamlin (1972)

If a defendant may lose their liberty through imprisonment, counsel must be provided.

United States v. Salerno (1987)

Preventive detention is constitutional when necessary to protect public safety.

In re Humphrey (2021)

Courts must consider a defendant's ability to pay and less restrictive alternatives before imposing bail.

Austin v. United States (1993)

Civil forfeiture can be punishment and is subject to the Excessive Fines Clause of the 8th Amendment.

Trop v. Dulles (1958)

Taking away citizenship is cruel and unusual punishment.

Robinson v. California (1962)

Punishing a person's status, such as narcotics addiction, rather than conduct violates the 8th Amendment.

Rummel v. Estelle (1980)

Life imprisonment for three nonviolent fraud offenses under a recidivist law did not violate the 8th Amendment.

Solem v. Helm (1983)

A sentence of life without parole for a nonviolent bad check and prior convictions was disproportionate and violated the 8th Amendment.

Lockyer v. Andrade (2003)

Upheld a sentence of 50 years to life under California's Three Strikes Law for stealing videotapes.

Furman v. Georgia (1972)

Death penalty procedures were unconstitutional because they were arbitrary and inconsistent.

Gregg v. Georgia (1976)

The death penalty is constitutional if proper safeguards, like separate guilt and sentencing phases, exist.

Coker v. Georgia (1977)

Death is a disproportionate punishment for the rape of an adult woman.

Kennedy v. Louisiana (2008)

The death penalty cannot be imposed for child rape when the victim does not die.

Enmund v. Florida (1982)

The death penalty is unconstitutional for someone who neither killed nor intended to kill during a felony.

Meyer v. Nebraska (1923)

Banning the teaching of foreign languages to young students violated liberty interests protected by the 14th Amendment.

Bowers v. Hardwick (1986)

The Court initially ruled there was no constitutional right protecting consensual same-sex sexual activity.

Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

Adults have a liberty interest in private consensual relationships; specifically overturned Bowers vs. Hardwick.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

The Constitution protects a woman's right to choose an abortion through the right to privacy.

Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)

Reaffirmed the right to abortion but replaced the trimester framework with the undue burden test.

Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt (2016)

Requirements for abortion clinics to meet surgical-center standards and doctors to have admitting privileges were unconstitutional undue burdens.

Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022)

The Constitution does not protect a right to abortion, overturning Roe and Casey.