SCOTUS Case Cheat Sheet

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• Principle/Clause: Article III - Judicial Review
• Holding & Significance: Established that the Supreme Court could nullify acts of legislative or executive branches that violate the Constitution. This case established the principle of judicial review.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Principle/Clause: Elastic Clause (Necessary and Proper Clause) / Supremacy Clause
• Holding & Significance: Affirmed the supremacy of the US Constitution and federal laws over state laws. It upheld the creation of a National Bank under the necessary and proper clause, establishing national supremacy.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

• Principle/Clause: 1st Amendment - Free Speech
• Holding & Significance: Established that speech creating a "clear and present danger" is not protected. The famous example given is that one cannot shout "fire" in a crowded theater, illustrating limitations on free speech during certain contexts.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• Principle/Clause: 14th Amendment - Equal Protection Clause
• Holding & Significance: Overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson, declaring race-based segregation in schools as illegal and ordering desegregation.

Baker v. Carr (1961)

• Principle/Clause: 14th Amendment - Equal Protection Clause
• Holding & Significance: Established the principle of "one man, one vote," which allowed courts to review cases of redistricting, ensuring fair representation.

Engle v. Vitale (1962)

• Principle/Clause: 1st Amendment - Establishment Clause
• Holding & Significance: Ruled that schools cannot sponsor religious activities, banning state-sponsored prayer in public schools.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

• Principle/Clause: 6th Amendment - Right to Counsel
• Holding & Significance: Guaranteed the right to an attorney for the poor or indigent in state cases, incorporating the 6th amendment to the states.

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

• Principle/Clause: 1st Amendment - Freedom of Speech (Symbolic Speech)
• Holding & Significance: Public school students have the right to wear black armbands to protest the Vietnam War as it does not disrupt the educational process, affirming the protection of symbolic speech.

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

• Principle/Clause: 1st Amendment - Freedom of Press
• Holding & Significance: Established a "heavy presumption against prior restraint" even in matters of national security, protecting the right to publish information without governmental interference.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

• Principle/Clause: 1st Amendment - Free Exercise Clause
• Holding & Significance: Ruled that Amish students could not be compelled to attend school past the eighth grade, significantly expanding the rights of religious groups regarding education requirements.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

• Principle/Clause: 14th Amendment - Equal Protection Clause
• Holding & Significance: Legislative redistricting must consider race, but it cannot be overly racial, ensuring compliance with the equal protection principle.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

• Principle/Clause: Article I - Commerce Clause
• Holding & Significance: Congress cannot use the commerce clause to criminalize possession of a gun in a school zone, marking a significant move away from federal legislative power.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

• Principle/Clause: 14th Amendment - Due Process Clause, Privileges and Immunities Clause, 2nd Amendment
• Holding & Significance: Affirmed that the right to keep and bear arms for self-defense is applicable to the states, incorporating the 2nd amendment.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

• Principle/Clause: 1st Amendment - Free Speech
• Holding & Significance: Political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is protected speech, stating that limitations on such spending are unconstitutional; thus, "Money = Speech" and established that corporations are treated as individuals in this context.