Required Court Cases

Marbury V. Madison

Marbury did not receive his writ of mandamus; by listening to this case, SCOTUS established judicial review

Maryland V McCulloch

Ruled that Congress had the power to establish a national bank and that states could not tax it; established the principle of implied powers and the supremacy of federal law over state law; used the Elastic Clause

U.S. V. Lopez

A kid brought a firearm to school, which was illegal; Lopez’s attorney argued that the link btwn the commerce clause and firearm restrictions was not close enough; limited fed. powers

Citizens United V. F.E.C

Considered corporations people, meaning they have the right to spend money politically under the 1st and 14th amendments

Engel V. Vitale

Prohibited state-sponsored recitation of prayer in public schools by virtue of 1st amendment's establishment clause and the 14th amendment's due process clause

Wisconsin V. Yoder

Amish people were allowed not to go to high school under the 1st amendment’s free exercise clause

Tinker V. Des Moine

Guaranteed a student's right to protest (wearing armbands) as long as it’s not disruptive under the 1st amendment

NY Times V. U.S.

Nixon argues that the publication of the Pentagon Papers is in violation of executive privilege; SCOTUS ruled that freedom of the press is protected under the 1st amendment, and prior restraint of the press is illegal

Plessy V. Ferguson

Stated that the segregation of schools was constitutional as long as the conditions were equal under the 14th amendment’s equal protection clause

Brown V. Board

Overruled Plessy V. Ferguson under the 14th amendment’s equal protection clause

Obergefell V. Hodges

Legalized gay marriage nationally under the 14th amendment’s due proccess clause & equal protection clause

Gideon V. Wainwright

A person who cannot afford an attorney may have one appointed by the government under the 6th amendment and 14th amendment’s due process clause

Schenck V. U.S.

Established “clear and present danger”; Schenck was openly opposing war drafts, which was considerably offensive at the time due to the Espionage Act of 1971; ruled that it violated the 1st amendment

McDonald V. Chicago

Ruled that Chicago’s ban on handguns was unconstitutional under the 2nd amendment and 14th amendment’s due process clause

Roe V. Wade

Legalized abortion nationally as it violated the implied right to privacy under the 14th amendment’s due process clause and 4th amendment

Miranda V. Arizona

SCOTUS held that criminal suspects must be informed of their right to consult with an attorney and of their right against self-incrimination prior to questioning by police under the 5th amendment; established “Miranda rights”

Gitlow V. New York

Established selective incorporation of the Bill of rights; states cannot deny freedom of speech; protected through the 14th amendment

Shaw V. Reno

NO racial gerrymandering; race cannot be the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative boundaries

Baker V. Carr

Established “One man, one vote"; Ordered state legislative districts to be as near equal as possible in population after Tennessee didn’t redistrict after like 60 years