Significant Courts in SCOTUS and their Important Cases

Warren, Burger, Rehnquist, Roberts, Marshall, Taney, Lochner Era, Fuller

Warren Court 1953-1969

Very liberal, considered the court to have changed the most laws including ones for free speech and the legalization of birth control. Brown v Board of Ed. Miranda v Arizona, Loving v Virginia, Gideon v Wainwright

Brown v Board of Education

Warren Court. Racial Segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. Effectively overturned Plessy v Ferguson’s separate but equal clause 

Miranda v Arizona

Warren Court. Establish Miranda Rights

Loving v. Virginia

Warren Court. Legalized interracial marriage

Gideon v Wainwright

Warren Court. People who cannot afford an attorney will be appointed one

Burger Court 1969-1986

Liberal, but less than Warren. Roe v Wade, Lemon v Kurtzman

Roe v Wade

Burger Court. Abortion is allowed under the Constitution. Overturned by Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health

Lemon v Kurtzman

Burger Court. Government funding for religious schools is not Constitutional (separation of church and state). Established the Lemon Test

Rehnquist Court 1986-2005

Centrist, trending Conservative. Texas v Johnson, Planned Parenthood v Casey

Roberts Court 2005 - present

Very conservative from 2020 on. Massachusetts v EPA, DC v Heller, Citizens United v FEC, Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health, Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard

Massachusetts v EPA

Roberts Court. Greenhouse gas emissions qualify as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act

DC v Heller

Roberts Court. Strict gun regulation is unconstitutional (2nd Amendment)

Citizens United v FEC

Roberts Court corporations can engage in a political spending because they can be counted as “individuals”, led to formation of super pacs (overturned McConnel v FEC)

Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health

Roberts Court. Abortion is not protected under the Constitution. Overturned Roe v Wade

Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard

Roberts Court. Ended race-based affirmative action

First 3 Courts

Jay Court, Rutledge Court, Ellsworth Court. A  lot of turnover since many justices resigned to hold other positions

Marshall Court 1801-1835

Start of the “modern period”. Considered the most important period of SCOTUS history. Marbury v Madison, McCulloch v Maryland, Gibbons v Ogden

Marbury v Madison

Marshall Court. Established judicial review — gives the SC and federal courts the authority to interpret the Constitution. Significantly increased the power of the SC since they can strike down Constitutional laws if they find it unconstitutional 

McCulloch v Maryland

Marshall Court. Federal supremacy over state law. Congress has the authority to pass laws not specifically under the Constitution. Effectively reinforced the Supremacy Clause and Necessary and Proper Clause 

Gibbons v Ogden

Marshall Court. reaffirm the Commerce Clause by granting federal government to regulate interstate commerce

Taney Court 1836-1864

Criticized for legal stances in favor of slavery and attempts to impede on Lincoln’s actions in the Civil War. Dred Scott v Sandford 

Dred Scott v Sandford

Taney Court. considered a major cause of the Civil War. Ruled that Missouri Compromise is unconstitutional. Made judicial action to end slavery unfeasible. Ruled that African Americans are not citizens even if freed from slavery so they cannot sue in court. Technically also granted Constitutional right to own slaves anywhere in the country on the basis of the Due Process Clause 

Lochner Era

1888 - 1937. Starts with Fuller Court. VERY ECONOMICALLY CONSERVATIVE. Named after Lochner v New York which ruled that limiting maximum working hours for bakers is unconstitutional. Turned down most economic regulations. Longest period of consistent conservative positions on SCOTUS. Closest to enforcing a libertarian viewpoint 

Fuller Court

Very Conservative. Chae Chan Ping v US, Lone Wolf v Hitchcock, Plessy v Ferguson

Chae Chan Ping v US

Fuller Court. uphold the Chinese Exclusion Act which was not repealed until 1943 by FDR

Lone Wolf v Hitchcock

Fuller Court. Congress has plenary power to alter treaties with Native Americans

Plessy v Ferguson

Fuller Court. Establish “separate but equal” clause. Overturned by Brown v Board of Education in 1954

White Court, Taft Court

continuation of the Lochner Era, very conservative

Hughes Court 1930-1941

End of the Lochner Era. conservative and turned liberal after 1937. Turned from striking down New Deal legislation to upholding it. Pressure from FDR and threat to expand the SC. US v Butler, US v Darby Lumber Co

US v Butler

Hughes Court. Example of overturning New Deal legislation. uphold General Welfare clause

US v Darby Lumber Co

Hughes Court. Example of upholding New Deal legislation. Power under the Commerce Clause to regulate working conditions

Stone Court 1941-1946

Shifted liberal. Korematsu v US

Korematsu v US

ruled internment of Japanese Americans is constitutional during WWII