The Warren Court and Individual Rights Summary

Earl Warren and the Warren Court

• Chief Justice from 1953 to 1969, significant influence comparable to John Marshall.
• Focus shifted from property rights to individual rights during his tenure.

Key Supreme Court Cases

Criminal Justice

1. Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
   • Ruled that illegally seized evidence cannot be used in court.
2. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
   • Required state courts to provide attorneys for poor defendants.
3. Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)
   • Granted suspects the right to have a lawyer present during police questioning.
4. Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
   • Police must inform arrested individuals of their right to remain silent.

Reapportionment Equality

• Baker v. Carr (1962)
  • Declared legislative districts favoring rural areas unconstitutional.
  • Established the principle of "one man, one vote" for equal representation.

Freedom of Expression and Privacy

1. Yates v. United States (1957)
   • Protected radical speech under the 1st Amendment unless posing a clear and present danger.
2. Engel v. Vitale (1962)
   • Ruled that state-sponsored prayer in public schools violates the separation of church and state.
3. Extended contraceptive rights for adults, increasing privacy rights.