SCOTUS Cases

US vs. Lopez (1995)

Alfonso Lopez was charged with carrying a gun in a school zone, but the Court found that the law exceeded Congress's power under the Commerce Clause. The Court ruled that possessing a gun in a school zone did not significantly affect interstate commerce, limiting federal power in regulating non-economic activities and ruled that the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was unconstitutional. 

McCullough vs. Maryland (1819) 

Arised from a conflict between state and federal authority. After the U.S. government created the Second Bank of the United States in 1816, the state of Maryland attempted to impose a tax on the bank's Baltimore branch to undermine its operations. James McCulloch, the cashier of the bank, refused to pay the tax, leading to a legal battle. The Court ruled that Congress had the authority to establish the Second Bank of the United States, using the Necessary and Proper Clause. It also ruled that Maryland could not tax the bank, citing the Supremacy Clause, which asserts that federal law takes precedence over state law. This decision expanded federal power and limited state interference with federal institutions. 

Baker vs. Carr (1961) 

The Court ruled that Tennessee's legislative districts were unfairly drawn, giving rural areas more representation than urban areas, despite population shifts. Charles Baker, an urban resident, argued this violated the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The Court decided that the issue was one courts could address and ruled that legislative districts must be based on population to ensure equal representation for all citizens, establishing the "one person, one vote" principle.

Shaw vs. Reno (1993) 

The Court ruled that North Carolina’s oddly shaped congressional district, drawn to ensure minority representation, was unconstitutional. A group of white voters argued that the district was based too heavily on race, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The Court agreed, stating that while race can be considered in redistricting, it shouldn’t be the main factor, and racial gerrymandering is not allowed.

Marbury vs. Madison (1803) 

Established the power of judicial review, allowing courts to strike down unconstitutional laws. William Marbury sued after he didn’t receive his commission to become a judge, but the Court ruled it couldn’t force delivery because the law Marbury relied on was unconstitutional. This decision gave the Supreme Court the authority to decide whether laws follow the Constitution.

Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commissions (2010) 

Case that ruled corporations and unions can spend unlimited money on political campaigns. The case started when Citizens United wanted to air a film critical of Hillary Clinton, but federal laws restricted corporate spending on campaigns. The Court decided these restrictions violated the First Amendment’s free speech rights, allowing corporations and unions to spend money independently to support or oppose candidates, as long as they don’t directly coordinate with campaigns.

Engel vs. Vitale (1962)

Addressed the separation of church and state in public schools. The case arose when the New York State Board of Regents composed a voluntary, non-denominational prayer for students to recite, prompting objections from a group of parents, led by Steven Engel, who argued it violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled 6-1 in favor of Engel, declaring that even voluntary school-sponsored prayers are unconstitutional because they amount to government endorsement of religion. This decision reinforced the principle of religious neutrality in public institutions and set a precedent restricting religious activities in public schools to protect individual freedoms under the First Amendment.

Wisconsin vs. Yoder (1972)

Balanced religious freedom against state education requirements. The case involved three Amish families who refused to send their children to school beyond the eighth grade, citing their religious beliefs that higher education would expose their children to values contrary to their faith. The state of Wisconsin argued that compulsory education until age 16 was necessary for preparing children to become productive citizens. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of Yoder, holding that Wisconsin’s law violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. The Court concluded that the state’s interest in education was not compelling enough to override the Amish families’ religious rights, establishing an important precedent for religious exemptions to generally applicable laws.

Schenck vs. United States (1919)

Charles Schenck, a Socialist Party member, was convicted under the Espionage Act of 1917 for distributing anti-draft leaflets during World War I. The Court upheld his conviction, ruling that certain forms of speech could be restricted if they posed a "clear and present danger" to national security or public order. Writing for the majority, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. argued that free speech is not absolute, and during wartime, speech that could incite illegal actions or interfere with the war effort, like urging resistance to the draft, is not protected by the First Amendment. This decision established a key test for limiting free speech in specific circumstances.

Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) 

The Court ruled that students do not lose their constitutional rights to freedom of speech when they enter a public school. The case involved three students—Mary Beth Tinker, her brother John Tinker, and a friend, Christopher Eckhardt—who wore black armbands to school to protest the Vietnam War. The school suspended them for violating a policy prohibiting the armbands. The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of the students, stating that their silent protest was protected by the First Amendment because it did not disrupt school activities. Justice Abe Fortas, writing for the majority, argued that students' rights to free expression are not "shed at the schoolhouse gate," and the school could not censor their speech unless it materially disrupted the educational process. The case is a key decision in defining the limits of student speech in public schools.

New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)

Often referred to as the "Pentagon Papers Case," was a landmark Supreme Court decision on the First Amendment and freedom of the press. The case arose when the New York Times and Washington Post sought to publish a classified Department of Defense study about U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The government argued that publishing the Pentagon Papers posed a national security threat and sought an injunction to prevent their release. In a 6-3 decision, the Court ruled in favor of the newspapers, holding that the government had not met the heavy burden of proof required for prior restraint. The ruling reinforced the principle that the press has the right to publish information of public interest, even if it embarrasses the government, emphasizing the importance of an independent press in a democratic society.

D.C. v. Heller (2008)

The case arose when Dick Heller, a special police officer in Washington, D.C., challenged the city's law that banned handgun ownership and required firearms to be kept unloaded and disassembled. Heller argued that this violated his right to possess a handgun for self-defense in his home. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Heller, stating that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own firearms for self-defense, unrelated to militia service. This decision struck down D.C.'s restrictive gun laws, establishing that the right to bear arms is an individual right.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Dealt with whether the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms applies to state and local governments, not just the federal government. The case arose after the city of Chicago and Oak Park, Illinois, implemented strict gun control laws similar to those in Washington, D.C. These laws effectively banned handgun possession. Otis McDonald, a Chicago resident, challenged the ban, arguing that it violated his constitutional right to own a firearm for self-defense under the Second Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the Second Amendment does indeed apply to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses. This decision extended the individual right to bear arms to all levels of government, ensuring that citizens have the right to possess firearms for self-defense, regardless of local gun control laws.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Addressed the issue of whether a person accused of a crime has the right to an attorney, even if they cannot afford one. Clarence Earl Gideon was charged with felony theft in Florida but could not afford to hire a lawyer. When he requested a court-appointed attorney, his request was denied because Florida law only provided counsel for indigent defendants in capital cases. Gideon represented himself in trial and was convicted. He appealed his conviction, arguing that his Sixth Amendment right to counsel had been violated. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Gideon's favor, holding that the right to counsel is a fundamental right that applies to all states through the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. This decision ensured that anyone accused of a felony, regardless of their financial status, must be provided with legal representation, strengthening the protection of defendants' rights in the criminal justice system.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

The Court ruled that a woman has a constitutional right to choose to have an abortion under the right to privacy, which is implied by the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. The decision legalized abortion nationwide, striking down state laws that banned abortion except in specific circumstances. However, the ruling allowed states to regulate abortions in the later stages of pregnancy to protect the health of the mother and the potential life of the fetus.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Ruled racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. The Court decided that "separate but equal" facilities, which were established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), were inherently unequal, and that segregation in schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. This decision overturned Plessy and led to the desegregation of public schools across the United States