Untitled Flashcards Set

Flashcard 1: Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Q: What were the facts of Marbury v. Madison (1803)?
A: William Marbury was appointed as a justice of the peace by President Adams but did not receive his commission before Jefferson took office. Marbury petitioned the Supreme Court to issue a writ of mandamus to force Jefferson's Secretary of State, James Madison, to deliver the commission.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: Chief Justice Marshall ruled that Marbury had a right to his commission, but the Court could not issue the writ of mandamus because the provision of the Judiciary Act of 1789 granting the Court original jurisdiction was unconstitutional.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It established the principle of judicial review, affirming the Supreme Court's authority to review and strike down government actions that are incompatible with the Constitution.

Flashcard 2: Ex Parte McCardle (1869)

Q: What were the facts of Ex Parte McCardle (1869)?
A: After the Civil War, McCardle was held for trial before a military tribunal for publishing anti-Reconstruction editorials. He petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of habeas corpus under the 1867 Habeas Corpus Act, which Congress repealed before the Court issued a decision.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court declined to hear the case, ruling that Congress has the authority to withdraw its appellate jurisdiction, which it did by repealing the Habeas Corpus Act.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It affirmed that Congress has the power to limit the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction.

Flashcard 3: Barron v. Baltimore (1833)

Q: What were the facts of Barron v. Baltimore (1833)?
A: John Barron owned a wharf in Baltimore that was damaged due to city construction. He sued the city under the Fifth Amendment's takings clause, but the state court ruled against him.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the Bill of Rights only applies to the federal government, not to the states.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It reinforced the idea that the protections in the Bill of Rights do not apply to state governments.

Flashcard 4: Gitlow v. New York (1925)

Q: What were the facts of Gitlow v. New York (1925)?
A: Benjamin Gitlow, a socialist, was arrested for distributing a pamphlet calling for the violent overthrow of the government in violation of New York's criminal anarchy law.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court upheld Gitlow's conviction but also ruled that the First Amendment’s free speech protections applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause (incorporation).

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It was the first time the Supreme Court incorporated the First Amendment to apply to the states.

Flashcard 5: Palko v. Connecticut (1937)

Q: What were the facts of Palko v. Connecticut (1937)?
A: Frank Palko was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, but the state appealed and had a new trial where he was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment did not apply to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It established that only fundamental rights, essential to liberty and justice, are incorporated into the Fourteenth Amendment and apply to the states.

Flashcard 6: Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Q: What were the facts of Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)?
A: Jonas Yoder, an Amish parent, refused to send his children to school after the eighth grade because of religious beliefs, challenging Wisconsin's compulsory education law.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the state's interest in compulsory education was not more compelling than the fundamental right to exercise religion, thus protecting Yoder’s religious practices.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It protected the religious rights of parents to educate their children in a manner consistent with their beliefs, limiting the state's power to enforce compulsory education.

Flashcard 7: Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)

Q: What were the facts of Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)?
A: The case involved two Pennsylvania laws that provided state funding to religious schools for secular purposes, such as teachers' salaries, textbooks, and instructional materials.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court struck down the laws, ruling that they violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, and established the Lemon Test to determine whether government actions violate the separation of church and state.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It established the Lemon Test, which requires that government actions must have a secular purpose, neither advance nor inhibit religion, and avoid excessive entanglement with religion.

Flashcard 8: Schenck v. United States (1919)

Q: What were the facts of Schenck v. United States (1919)?
A: Charles Schenck, a member of the Socialist Party, distributed pamphlets urging resistance to the draft during World War I and was convicted under the Espionage Act of 1917.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court upheld Schenck's conviction, ruling that speech can be restricted if it presents a "clear and present danger" of bringing about substantial evils.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It introduced the "Clear and Present Danger" test, which determines when the government can restrict speech.

Flashcard 9: Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969)

Q: What were the facts of Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969)?
A: Clarence Brandenburg, a Klan leader, was convicted under Ohio's criminal syndicalism law for advocating violence during a rally.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that speech can only be restricted if it incites imminent lawless action, establishing the "Imminent Lawless Action" test.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It refined the "Clear and Present Danger" test and protected speech unless it directly incited imminent illegal activity.

Flashcard 10: Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Q: What were the facts of Engel v. Vitale (1962)?
A: The New York State Board of Regents required public schools to begin each day with a prayer, and a group of parents challenged this practice.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that government-directed prayer in public schools violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It reinforced the separation of church and state, ruling that government cannot compose official prayers for students to recite in public schools.

Flashcard 11: Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Q: What were the facts of Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)?
A: Students were suspended for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that students do not lose their constitutional rights to freedom of speech at school unless their conduct disrupts the educational process.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It established that student speech is protected under the First Amendment as long as it does not interfere with the operation of the school.

Flashcard 12: Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Q: What were the facts of Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)?
A: Jonas Yoder, an Amish parent, refused to send his children to school after the eighth grade because of religious beliefs, challenging Wisconsin's compulsory education law.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the state's interest in compulsory education was not more compelling than the fundamental right to exercise religion, thus protecting Yoder’s religious practices.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It protected the religious rights of parents to educate their children in a manner consistent with their beliefs, limiting the state's power to enforce compulsory education.

Flashcard 13: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014)

Q: What were the facts of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014)?
A: Hobby Lobby refused to provide employee insurance coverage for contraception, claiming it violated the owners' religious beliefs.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act by burdening the religious freedoms of closely held for-profit corporations.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It expanded the protections of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to for-profit companies, allowing them to refuse to provide contraceptive coverage on religious grounds.

Flashcard 14: Coleman v. Miller (1939)

Q: What were the facts of Coleman v. Miller (1939)?
A: A group of Kansas legislators challenged the ratification of the Child Labor Amendment, arguing that it was not valid because it had not been ratified within a set time period.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court held that the question of whether a constitutional amendment had been ratified was a political question, and thus not within the jurisdiction of the judiciary.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It reinforced the political question doctrine, establishing that certain matters, such as the ratification of amendments, are outside judicial review.

Flashcard 15: Hurtado v. California (1884)

Q: What were the facts of Hurtado v. California (1884)?
A: Hurtado was indicted for murder, but California allowed a trial based on an information (a formal accusation), not a grand jury, which Hurtado argued violated the due process rights of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the use of information rather than a grand jury indictment did not violate due process under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It was the first case in which the Court ruled that the right to a grand jury indictment under the Fifth Amendment was not applicable to the states.

Flashcard 16: Duncan v. Louisiana (1968)

Q: What were the facts of Duncan v. Louisiana (1968)?
A: Gary Duncan, charged with a misdemeanor in Louisiana, was denied a jury trial, as the state law only granted jury trials in cases involving hard labor or death.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial applied to the states via the Fourteenth Amendment, and Duncan was entitled to a jury trial.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It extended the right to a jury trial in criminal cases to the states, applying the Sixth Amendment through the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause.

Flashcard 17: U.S. v. Ballard (1944)

Q: What were the facts of U.S. v. Ballard (1944)?
A: Ballard and his followers were convicted of using fraudulent methods to promote a religious belief. They argued that their religious beliefs should be protected by the First Amendment.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the truth of religious beliefs could not be judged by the courts, protecting the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It established that the truth or falsity of religious beliefs cannot be questioned by the courts, reinforcing the protection of religious practice.

Flashcard 18: U.S. v. Carolene Products (1938)

Q: What were the facts of U.S. v. Carolene Products (1938)?
A: The case involved the constitutionality of a federal law that prohibited the shipment of "filled milk" in interstate commerce, which Carolene Products violated.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court upheld the law, ruling that the regulation of commerce by Congress was within its power.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: This case led to the famous "Footnote Four," which suggested a higher level of scrutiny for laws that might affect the Bill of Rights or discriminate against minorities.

Flashcard 19: Reynolds v. U.S. (1879)

Q: What were the facts of Reynolds v. U.S. (1879)?
A: George Reynolds, a Mormon, was prosecuted for bigamy after practicing polygamy, arguing that the First Amendment protected his religious practice.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that while religious beliefs are protected, religious practices, such as polygamy, could be regulated by the government if they violated public morals.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It established the belief-action distinction, stating that while individuals are free to believe whatever they choose, their actions can be restricted if they conflict with societal interests.

Flashcard 20: Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925)

Q: What were the facts of Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925)?
A: An Oregon law required all children to attend public schools, but the Society of Sisters, a private religious school, challenged the law, arguing it violated the right to direct the education of children.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court struck down the law, ruling that it interfered with the rights of parents and guardians to control the education of their children.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It reinforced the right of parents to direct their children's education, particularly in the context of religious institutions.

Flashcard 21: Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940)

Q: What were the facts of Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940)?
A: The Cantwells, Jehovah's Witnesses, were arrested for soliciting contributions without a permit, which was required under a Connecticut law.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the Connecticut law violated the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom because it was too vague and applied too broadly.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It established the "Valid Secular Policy" test, ruling that the state can regulate religious solicitation for public safety but must do so without infringing on religious rights.

Flashcard 22: Minersville v. Gobitis (1940)

Q: What were the facts of Minersville v. Gobitis (1940)?
A: Jehovah's Witnesses students were expelled for refusing to salute the American flag in public school, arguing it violated their religious beliefs.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court upheld the school’s requirement to salute the flag, stating that the government could require the pledge for patriotic reasons.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It was later overturned by West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943), which protected students' rights to refuse to salute the flag on religious grounds.

Flashcard 23: Braunfeld v. Brown (1961)

Q: What were the facts of Braunfeld v. Brown (1961)?
A: Orthodox Jews challenged blue laws that required businesses to close on Sundays, arguing it conflicted with their religious practice of observing the Sabbath on Saturday.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court upheld the law, stating that the government’s interest in establishing a common day of rest outweighed the religious burden.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It demonstrated the Court’s balancing of government interests with religious rights, though it later became controversial for allowing religious burdens under secular laws.

Flashcard 24: Sherbert v. Verner (1963)

Q: What were the facts of Sherbert v. Verner (1963)?
A: Sherbert, a Seventh-day Adventist, was denied unemployment benefits because she refused to work on Saturday due to her religious beliefs.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the denial of benefits violated Sherbert's religious freedom, applying the "Compelling Interest" test.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It established the “compelling interest” standard for evaluating cases where government actions infringe on religious practices.

Flashcard 25: Employment Division v. Smith (1990)

Q: What were the facts of Employment Division v. Smith (1990)?
A: Two Native Americans were fired for using peyote as part of a religious ceremony and were denied unemployment benefits for "misconduct."

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the Free Exercise Clause does not exempt individuals from complying with generally applicable laws that do not specifically target religious practices.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It narrowed the scope of religious exemptions from generally applicable laws, making it harder for religious practices to override secular laws.

Flashcard 26: Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah (1993)

Q: What were the facts of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah (1993)?
A: The City of Hialeah passed ordinances banning animal sacrifices, which the church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, a Santeria religious group, used as part of their religious practices.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the ordinances were unconstitutional because they targeted religious practices and violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It reinforced the principle that laws that specifically target religious practices must pass strict scrutiny and cannot be used to restrict religious freedom.

Flashcard 27: Kennedy v. Bremerton (2022)

Q: What were the facts of Kennedy v. Bremerton (2022)?
A: A high school football coach, Joseph Kennedy, was disciplined by his school district for praying on the field after games, arguing it was an exercise of his personal religious freedom.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that Kennedy’s prayers were protected by the First Amendment because he was engaging in personal expression, not representing the school or coercing students to join.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It clarified that public employees have the right to engage in personal religious expression while on duty, as long as it does not interfere with their official duties or coerce others.

Flashcard 28: Bradfield v. Roberts (1899)

Q: What were the facts of Bradfield v. Roberts (1899)?
A: Congress appropriated $30,000 to a hospital operated by a Catholic religious order. The funds were challenged on the grounds that they violated the Establishment Clause.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court upheld the appropriation, ruling that the secular purpose of aiding the hospital outweighed the religious affiliation of the institution.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It established the principle that government funding for religious institutions is acceptable as long as the purpose is secular.

Flashcard 29: Everson v. Board of Education (1947)

Q: What were the facts of Everson v. Board of Education (1947)?
A: The case involved a New Jersey law that reimbursed parents for the cost of transporting their children to both public and private schools, including religious schools.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the reimbursement was constitutional, stating that it did not violate the Establishment Clause because it was a general law, not one that favored any specific religion.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It was one of the first cases in which the Court applied the Establishment Clause to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment, establishing the principle of "neutrality" in government support of religious institutions.

Flashcard 30: Abington v. Schempp (1963)

Q: What were the facts of Abington v. Schempp (1963)?
A: The case challenged a Pennsylvania law requiring public school students to read from the Bible and recite the Lord’s Prayer as part of the daily routine.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled that the law violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment because it involved the government in religious exercises in public schools.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It reinforced the separation of church and state, ruling that religious activities in public schools are unconstitutional.

Flashcard 31: Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002)

Q: What were the facts of Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002)?
A: The case involved an Ohio school voucher program that provided funding to parents to send their children to private, including religious, schools. Opponents argued that the program violated the Establishment Clause.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court upheld the voucher program, ruling that the aid was directed to the parents, not the schools, and that the program was neutral toward religion.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It marked a shift in how the Court viewed government funding of religious schools, emphasizing parental choice and religious neutrality in the program.

Flashcard 32: Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2010)

Q: What were the facts of Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church v. EEOC (2010)?
A: A teacher at a religious school was fired, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued for discrimination. The church argued that the ministerial exception exempted it from employment discrimination laws.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court ruled in favor of the church, recognizing a "ministerial exception" that allows religious institutions to make employment decisions without government interference.

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It reinforced the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom by upholding religious organizations' autonomy in hiring and firing religious personnel.

Flashcard 33: Gitlow v. New York (1925)

Q: What were the facts of Gitlow v. New York (1925)?
A: Benjamin Gitlow, a socialist, was arrested for distributing a pamphlet calling for the violent overthrow of the government in violation of New York's criminal anarchy law.

Q: What was the Court's opinion?
A: The Court upheld Gitlow's conviction but also ruled that the First Amendment’s free speech protections applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process clause (incorporation).

Q: What was the significance of this case?
A: It was the first time the Supreme Court incorporated the First Amendment to apply to the states.