Key Supreme Court Cases and Constitutional Amendments

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

School-sponsored prayer in public schools is unconstitutional.

Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)

Created the 'Lemon Test' to determine if laws violate the Establishment Clause.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Amish children can't be forced to attend school past 8th grade—Free Exercise Clause protects religious beliefs.

Schenck v. US (1919)

Speech can be restricted if it presents a 'clear and present danger.'

West Virginia v. Barnette (1943)

Students can't be forced to salute the flag or say the Pledge—protects freedom of expression.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Students' symbolic speech (black armbands) is protected in schools.

Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969)

Speech advocating illegal acts is protected unless it incites 'imminent lawless action.'

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Flag burning is protected symbolic speech.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Corporations can spend unlimited money on political campaigns—money as speech.

New York Times v. US (1971)

Government can't censor the press unless there's a direct threat to national security (Pentagon Papers).

Gitlow v. New York (1925)

Applied 1st Amendment to states through the 14th Amendment (incorporation doctrine).

Korematsu v. US (1944)

Upheld Japanese-American internment camps during WWII—now widely criticized.

US v. Nixon (1974)

Executive privilege is not absolute—Nixon had to turn over tapes during Watergate.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Candidates can spend unlimited personal money on campaigns—money equals speech.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Federal power over states; upheld implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause.

US v. Lopez (1995)

Limited Congress's power under the Commerce Clause—struck down Gun-Free School Zones Act.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established judicial review.

Bush v. Gore (2000)

Resolved the 2000 election; ordered Florida to stop recount due to Equal Protection Clause.

Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)

Ruled that African Americans were not citizens; helped cause the Civil War.

DC v. Heller (2008)

Individuals have a right to own firearms for personal use.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Incorporated the 2nd Amendment to the states.

New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)

Schools need only 'reasonable suspicion' to search students, not probable cause.

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Evidence obtained illegally can't be used in court (exclusionary rule).

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Right to an attorney for all felony cases.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Suspects must be informed of their rights before questioning (Miranda rights).

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Upheld 'separate but equal' segregation (overturned later).

Brown v. Board of Education I (1954)

Segregation in schools is unconstitutional.

Brown v. Board II (1955)

Ordered desegregation 'with all deliberate speed.'

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. US (1964)

Congress can ban discrimination in public places under the Commerce Clause.

Regents of UC v. Bakke (1978)

Race can be a factor in admissions, but quotas are unconstitutional.

Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

Struck down laws banning same-sex intimacy—privacy and equal protection.

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

Legalized same-sex marriage nationwide under equal protection and due process.

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

Established the right to privacy (contraceptives for married couples).

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Legalized abortion under the right to privacy.

Casey (1992)

Reaffirmed Roe; allowed states to regulate abortions if no 'undue burden.'

Dobbs v. Jackson (2022)

Overturned Roe; no constitutional right to abortion.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Courts can hear redistricting cases; 'one person, one vote.'

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Race can't be the sole factor in drawing district lines.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Struck down a NY law requiring public school prayer—even if it's non-denominational and voluntary—violated Establishment Clause.

Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)

State funding for religious schools must meet the Lemon Test: (1) secular purpose, (2) neither advances/inhibits religion, (3) no excessive government entanglement.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Amish families can pull kids from school after 8th grade; government can't override sincere religious beliefs unless it has a compelling reason.

Schenck v. US (1919)

Anti-draft pamphlets during WWI not protected—speech creating a 'clear and present danger' can be restricted.

West Virginia v. Barnette (1943)

Public schools can't force students to salute the flag or say the Pledge—violates Free Speech and Free Exercise.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Students wore black armbands to protest Vietnam War; court ruled schools must prove disruption to justify censorship.

Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969)

KKK leader's speech protected unless it incites imminent lawless action—expanded free speech protection.

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Burning the American flag is protected symbolic speech under the 1st Amendment.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Political spending by corporations and unions is protected as free speech; led to rise of Super PACs.

New York Times v. US (1971)

Pentagon Papers case; government couldn't use 'prior restraint' to block publication unless there's immediate threat to national security.

Gitlow v. New York (1925)

First case to apply (incorporate) the 1st Amendment to the states using the 14th Amendment—Gitlow's socialist speech wasn't protected, but free speech is a fundamental right.

Korematsu v. US (1944)

Allowed Japanese internment camps during WWII—viewed now as a major civil liberties failure.

US v. Nixon (1974)

Limited executive privilege; Nixon had to hand over tapes—president not above the law.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Upheld limits on donations to others, but struck down limits on candidates spending their own money—money = speech.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Congress can create a national bank (implied powers); states can't tax federal institutions.

US v. Lopez (1995)

Limited Congress's use of the Commerce Clause—carrying guns near schools isn't an economic activity.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established judicial review—Supreme Court can declare laws unconstitutional.

Bush v. Gore (2000)

Ended Florida recount; ruled the lack of uniform recount procedures violated Equal Protection Clause.

Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)

Said slaves aren't citizens and Congress can't ban slavery in territories—helped lead to Civil War.

DC v. Heller (2008)

Struck down DC handgun ban; individuals have the right to possess firearms for self-defense at home.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Incorporated the 2nd Amendment to the states via the 14th Amendment—states can't ban handguns either.

2nd Amendment

Incorporated to the states via the 14th Amendment—states can't ban handguns either.

4th Amendment

Search & Seizure.

New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)

School officials only need reasonable suspicion, not probable cause, to search students' belongings.

14th Amendment

Due Process (Legal Rights).

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Evidence found through illegal search (without a warrant) can't be used—incorporated exclusionary rule.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

States must provide lawyers to defendants who can't afford them—6th Amendment incorporated.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Police must inform suspects of rights before questioning (Miranda rights).

14th Amendment

Equal Protection.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Upheld 'separate but equal' segregation laws (later overturned by Brown).

Brown v. Board I (1954)

Ended legal segregation in public schools; 'separate but equal' is inherently unequal.

Brown v. Board II (1955)

Required desegregation 'with all deliberate speed'—follow-up enforcement case.

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. US (1964)

Congress can ban discrimination in public accommodations under the Commerce Clause.

Regents v. Bakke (1978)

Quotas in college admissions are unconstitutional, but race can be considered as one factor.

Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

Struck down laws banning same-sex relations—right to privacy and Equal Protection.

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

Legalized same-sex marriage nationwide under both Equal Protection and Due Process.

Right to Privacy

Established through various court cases.

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

Struck down law banning contraceptives for married couples—established right to privacy.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Legalized abortion under right to privacy (based on Due Process Clause of the 14th).

Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)

Reaffirmed Roe but allowed states to regulate abortion if it doesn't place an 'undue burden' on women.

Dobbs v. Jackson (2022)

Overturned Roe—said Constitution doesn't guarantee abortion rights; left issue to states.

Redistricting / Apportionment

Related to cases about district drawing and representation.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Redistricting is a judicial issue—opened the door to federal courts hearing apportionment cases.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional—districts can't be drawn based solely on race.

1st Amendment - Religion

Related to cases about the establishment and free exercise of religion.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

School-sponsored prayer violates the Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment.

Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)

The Lemon Test checks if laws violate the Establishment Clause (secular purpose, no advancement/inhibition, no excessive entanglement).

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Amish families can't be forced to send children to school past 8th grade—protects Free Exercise rights.

1st Amendment - Speech & Press

Related to cases about free speech and press.

Schenck v. US (1919)

Speech creating a 'clear and present danger' is not protected.

West Virginia v. Barnette (1943)

Students can't be forced to salute the flag or say the Pledge—protects free expression.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Students have free speech at school if it's not disruptive (armbands were allowed).

Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969)

Speech is protected unless it incites 'imminent lawless action.'

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Ruling about flag burning.

Johnson (1989) rule about flag burning

It is protected symbolic speech under the 1st Amendment.

Impact of Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Corporations/unions can spend unlimited money on campaigns—political spending is speech.

New York Times v. US (1971) on prior restraint

Government cannot stop publication unless it causes direct national security threats.

Importance of Gitlow v. New York (1925)

First case to apply the 1st Amendment to the states (via the 14th Amendment).

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) establishment

Congress has implied powers; states can't tax the federal government.

Significance of Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established judicial review—the Supreme Court can strike down unconstitutional laws.

US v. Lopez (1995) decision

Limited Congress's use of the Commerce Clause—struck down Gun-Free School Zones Act.

Ruling in Bush v. Gore (2000)

Florida's recount process violated Equal Protection Clause—stopped the recount.