Supreme Court

Gideon V Wainwright

1963 - You are entitled to the assistance of a lawyer in all cases

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6th amendment > right to lawyer

Gregg V Georgia

1975 - Upheld new laws for using the death penalty as being constitutional

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8th amendment > cruel and unusual punishment

Schenck V US

1919 - First amendment does not protect words that create a “clear and present danger”

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1st amendment > freedom of speech

Marbury V Madison

1803 - Established the concept of Judicial Review. SCOTUS job is to interpret constitutionality

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Article III > powers of the judicial branch

Wesberry V Sanders

1964 - Ruled against gerrymandering saying that districts for the US House of Representatives must be approximately equal in population

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Article I > powers of the legislative branch

14th amendment > equal protection clause

Loving V Virginia

1967 - Laws banning interracial marriage were declared unconstitutional; now allowing interracial marriages

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14th amendment > equal protection clause

NY Times V Sullivan

1964 - Protects the press and the public’s right to criticize public officials in the conduct of their duties

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1st amendment > freedom of speech and press

Bethal School Districts V Fraser

1986 - Allowed schools to prohibit vulgar and lewd speech since such disclosure was inconsistent with the “fundamental values of public school education.”

1st amendment > right to free speech

Roper V Simmons

2005 - Death penalty cannot be used for juveniles

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8th amendment > cruel and unusual punishment

Grisworld V Connecticut

1965 - The right to privacy, which is implied in the Constitution, included a couple’s choice to use birth control

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1st, 3rd, 4th, 9th, 14th > privacy rights

Engel V Vitale

1962 - Prayers in public schools violated the 1st Amendment’s Establishment Clause

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1st amendment > establishment of the religion clause

Texas V Johnson

1984 - Symbolic speech, no matter how offensive, is protected, including flag burning

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1st amendment > freedom of speech

In Re Gault

Juveniles are entitled to the same due process protections as an adult when accused of a crime and during trial procedures

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14th amendment > due process clause

Regents of University of California V Bakke

Ruled that racial quotas for college admissions created reverse discrimination and were banned. Also said that race can still be one of several factors considered in admissions

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14th amendment > equal protection clause

McDonald V Chicago

2010 - “The right of the people to keep and bear Arms,” applies to state and local governments as well as to the federal government

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2nd & 14th amendment > right to bare arms & due process clause

Mapp V Ohio

1961 - Illegally seized evidence could not be used in a state criminal trial. “Unreasonable searches and seizures,” is inadmissible.

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4th & 14th > due process & unlawful searches and seizures

Plessy V Ferguson

1896 - Segregation is legal as long as the facilities are equal

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13th & 14th amendment > abolition of slavery & equal protection clause

New Jersey V TLO

1985 - Public school administrators can search a student’s belongings if they have reasonable suspicion of criminal activity

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4th amendment > probable cause doctrine

Tinker V Des Moines School District

1965 - Students/teachers rights to freedom of expression - within reason - are protected; wearing of armbands as a means of protest was protected symbolic speech

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1st amendment > freedom of speech

US V Nixon

1974 - The Court ruled that the President has a right to executive privilege but it cannot be used to avoid criminal prosecution; Nixon was ordered to hand over the Watergate tapes which led to his resignation

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Article II & 1st amendment > executive privilege & freedom of speech

US V Virginia

1996 - VMI’s all male policy was struck down and women were allowed to attend

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14th amendment > equal protection clause

Lemon V Kurtzman

1971 - Found that two states violated the establishment clause by making state financial aid available to “church-related educational institutions.”

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1st amendment > establishment clause

Brown V Board of Education

1954 - Segregated public schools are unequal and must desegregate with all deliberate speed

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14th amendment > equal protection clause

Roe V Wade

1973 - Abortion falls under a woman’s right to privacy and cannot be denied by law during the first trimester.

1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 9th, & 14th amendments > implied right to privacy & equal protection clause

Hazelwood School District V Kohlmeier

1988 - Educators can exercise editorial control over content as long as their actions were “reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.”

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1st amendment > freedom of speech

Obergefell V Hodges

2015 - Laws banning same sex marriage were declared unconstitutional; now allows same sex marriage

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14th amendment > equal protection clause

Snyder V Phelps

2011 - Shields those who stage a protest at the funeral of a military service member from liability

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1st amendment > freedom of assembly & speech

Lawrence V Texas

2003 - Laws banning certain sexual acts were deemed unconstitutional; those laws were considered a violation of the right to privacy as long as the acts occurred between two consenting adults in private

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14th amendment > due process clause

Dobbs V Jackson Women’s Health Organization

2022 - Overturned Roe V. Wade, returning laws governing abortion to the state level

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14th amendment > due process clause

Vernonia School District 475 V Acton

1995 - High school athletes are subject to greater control. The government concern over the safety of minors under their supervision overrides the minimal, if any, intrusion in student-athletes’ privacy, therefore, drug testing of athletes is acceptable.

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4th amendment > right to privacy & unlawful search and seizure clauses

Miranda V Arizona

1966 - Detained criminal suspects, prior to police questioning, must be informed of their constitutional right to an attorney and protection against self-incrimination.

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5th amendment > protection against self incrimination

Korematsu V US

1944 - Upheld the Executive Order to intern Japanese Americans during WWII as a legitimate war power of the President

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5th & 14th amendment > due process & equal protection clause

Terry V Ohio

1967 - Upheld an officer’s right to “stop and frisk” a person deemed as acting suspiciously

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4th amendment > unlawful searches & seizures

Appellate Jurisdiction

a case is reviewed from a lower court

Brief

written legal argument

Concurrent Jurisdiction

tried in either (or both) federal & state court

Concurring Opinion

agreeing with the decision but not with the reasoning

Dissenting Opinion

disagree with court’s decision

Grand Jury

jury that decides if there is enough evidence to go to trial

Hung Jury

a jury is unable to reach a verdict

Indictment

a formal accusation that someone has committed a crime

John Jay

First chief justice of the US

John Marshall

Helped to establish the power of the federal court

John Roberts

Current chief justice of the United States

Majority Opinion

Opinion held by most of the justices and they agree on the reasoning

Original Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction in which a case is first heard

Petit Jury

Group of people that determine guilt or innocence

Precedent

Establishing as a model for future, similar court cases

Sandra Day O’ Connor

First woman to serve as a justice on the US Supreme Court

SCOTUS

Acronym for the Supreme Court of the United States

Thurgood Marshall

First African-American justice to serve in the US Supreme Court

VA Supreme Court

The highest court in the state of Virginia

Writ of Certiorari

A formal request for the US Supreme Court to hear a case

Writ of Mandamus

An order by the court commanding to execute an act