AP US Government: Supreme Court Cases

Baker v. Carr

districts must have the same number of eligible voters so representation is based on population; "one person, one vote" - legislative districts within a state must be relatively equal size, extends to state legislatures as well.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Separate but equal facilities don't violate 14th amendment; approved "separate but equal" facililites

McCulloch v. Maryland

Denied right of Maryland to tax national bank; congress can use implied powers to carry out expressed powers. Opened door to expand federal powers.

Buckley v. Valeo

Spending money on one's own campaign is free speech; overturned campaign finance laws established in the FECA

Tinker v. Des Moines

Students had a right to protest the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands; protected some forms of symbolic speech

Schenck v. US

Congress can place restrictions on free speech; established "clear and present danger" test to determine when public authorities can limit free speech

Marbury v. Madison

Judiciary Act of 1789 is unconstitutional because it conflicts with the Constitution. Establishes the SCOTUS' power of judicial review

Gideon v. Wainwright

Indigents have a right to counsel in felony cases

Brown v. Board of Ed.

School segregation is inherently unconstitutional; reversed "separate but equal"

Roe v. Wade

Right to an abortion is protected;abortion is protected by right to privacy

Engel v. Vitale

Struck down state-sponsored prayer in public school

US v. Lopez

The Court held that Congress had exceeded its commerce clause power by prohibiting guns in a school zone.

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Ruled that Amish religion outweighed state's interest in mandating school until the age of 16, as it was a violation of the Free Exercise clause of the First amendment

McDonald v. Chicago

The right of an individual to "keep and bear arms" protected by the 2nd Amendment is incorporated by the due process clause of the 14th Amendment and applies to the states.

Brown v. Board II

Ordered schools to desegregate "with all due and deliberate speed"

Citizens United v. FEC

Political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment

Shaw v. Reno

Legislative redistricting must be conscious of race and ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965

New York Times v. US

The President argues that the publication of the Pentagon Papers is in violation of executive privilege. Result: The barring of the publication of these papers is in violation of the 1st A.