Untitled Flashcards Set

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• Issue: Racial segregation in public schools

• Ruling: Declared that “separate but equal” schools are inherently unequal, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

• Impact: Ended legal segregation in public schools and was a major victory for the civil rights movement.

• Boynton v. Virginia (1960)

• Issue: Racial segregation in interstate bus terminals

• Ruling: Ruled that segregation in public transportation facilities involved in interstate commerce violated the Interstate Commerce Act.

• Impact: Led to the Freedom Rides and greater federal enforcement of desegregation in public travel.

• Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

• Issue: Use of illegally obtained evidence in court

• Ruling: Evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment (unlawful search and seizure) cannot be used in state courts.

• Impact: Applied the exclusionary rule to the states, strengthening privacy rights.

• Engel v. Vitale (1962)

• Issue: Prayer in public schools

• Ruling: Official recitation of prayers in public schools violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

• Impact: Banned school-sponsored prayer, reinforcing the separation of church and state.

• Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

• Issue: Right to legal counsel

• Ruling: States must provide an attorney to defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford one, under the Sixth Amendment.

• Impact: Strengthened the right to a fair trial and expanded public defender systems.

• Abington School District v. Schempp (1963)

• Issue: Bible reading in public schools

• Ruling: School-sponsored Bible readings and recitation of the Lord’s Prayer violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.

• Impact: Reinforced the prohibition of religious activities in public schools.

• Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)

• Issue: Right to counsel during police interrogation

• Ruling: Suspects have a right to an attorney during police questioning once the investigation begins to focus on them.

• Impact: Expanded the Sixth Amendment right to counsel before trial.

• Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

• Issue: Police interrogation and self-incrimination

• Ruling: Suspects must be informed of their rights (to remain silent and to have an attorney) before interrogation.

• Impact: Established “Miranda rights,” a standard procedure in arrests.

• Loving v. Virginia (1967)

• Issue: Laws banning interracial marriage

• Ruling: State bans on interracial marriage violated the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the 14th Amendment.

Impact: Legalized interracial marriage across the U.S.