supreme Court cases

Marbury v Madison

• Established the principle of judicial review, empowering the judiciary to strike down laws or actions that violate the Constitution. This decision enhanced the Court's role as a co-equal branch of governmen

McCullouh v Maryland

• Reinforced federal supremacy and expanded federal power through the recognition of implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause.

shneck v us

Significance:
Established the “clear and present danger” test, limiting free speech when it poses a direct threat to public safety or national security.

Brown v Board

• Significance:
  Declared that “separate but equal” educational facilities are inherently unequal, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and advancing civil rights.

Baker v Carr

• Significance:
  Established that redistricting cases are justiciable, leading to the “one person, one vote” principle in legislative representation.

Engel v vitale

• Significance:
  Prohibited state-sponsored prayer in public schools, reinforcing the separation of church and state.

Gideon v Wainwright

• Significance:
  Guaranteed the right to legal representation for defendants in state courts, even if they cannot afford an attorney.

Tinker v Des Moines

• Significance:
  Protected symbolic speech in schools, as long as it does not cause substantial disruption.

NY Times Co. v US

• Strengthened the protection of press freedom, ruling that prior restraint is unconstitutional unless the government proves an imminent threat.

Wisconsin v Yoder

• Significance:
  Prioritized religious freedom over state education laws in certain circumstances, affirming the rights of religious communities.

Roe v Wade

• Significance:
  Legalized abortion and established a framework balancing a woman’s right to privacy with state interests in regulating abortion

Shaw v Reno

• Significance:
  Prohibited racial gerrymandering, requiring redistricting plans to meet strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause.

US v Lopez

• Limited federal power by ruling that the Commerce Clause does not cover non-economic activities like carrying firearms in school zones.

Citizens United v FEC

• Significance:
  Expanded corporate political spending rights, emphasizing that political spending is a form of protected speech

McDonald v Chicago

• Significance:
  Incorporated the Second Amendment to the states, ensuring that the right to bear arms is protected at all levels of government