3.12 vid 1

Introduction

• Natasha, AP Government teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School

• Discussion on the topic of majority rule and minority rights

Influence on Judicial Interpretations

• Various factors affect how justices interpret the Constitution:

  • Judicial Philosophies: Judicial activism vs. judicial restraint

  • Composition of the Court: Different justices bring various perspectives

  • Types of Cases: The cases selected for the docket influence rulings

  • Rule of Four: Requires four justices to agree to hear a case

  • Judicial Appointments: Impact of the President and Congress on court composition

  • Stare Decisis: Courts avoid overturning previous rulings without significant justification

  • Amicus Curiae Briefs: Submitted by third parties, influencing court decisions

Historical Case Examples

• Illustrating the evolution of the judicial interpretation of equal protection through landmark cases:

  • Plessy v. Ferguson (1896):

    • Established legality of racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine

    • Interpretation: Separation did not imply inferiority; racial inferiority was a subjective construct

  • Brown v. Board of Education (1954):

    • Overturned Plessy, ruled that racial segregation in schools violated equal protection

    • Emphasized the psychological effects of segregation on black students

Perspectives of Justices

• Differences in judicial interpretation highlighted through:

  • Justice Antonin Scalia: Advocated for fixed meaning of legal texts

  • Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Emphasized broader meanings beyond fixed definitions

Key Cases and Developments

• Various important rulings demonstrating the court's role in balancing majority rule and minority rights:

  • Civil Rights Cases (1883): Struck down Civil Rights Act of 1875; affirmed limits on federal government regulation of private discrimination

  • Crawford v. Marion County Election Board (2008): Upheld Indiana's photo ID law as constitutional, seen as neutral and nondiscriminatory

  • Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States (1964): Used the Commerce Clause to ban private discrimination in businesses

  • Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966): Struck down poll taxes violating the equal protection clause

  • Reynolds v. Sims (1964): Established "one man, one vote" principle for state legislative districts

  • Loving v. Virginia (1967): Declared anti-miscegenation laws unconstitutional, affirming equal protection

Conclusion

• Recap of the evolution of judicial interpretation concerning the Fourteenth Amendment

• Reinforcement of concepts of judicial activism and restraint in the context of majority rule vs. minority rights

• Encouragement to reflect on the material and its implications