Marbury v. Madison (1803): Established judicial review.

Constitutional Question:

Does the Supreme Court have the authority to order the delivery of judicial commissions under the Judiciary Act of 1789?

Constitutional Citation:

Article III, Section 2 (Judicial Powers)

Significance:

Established the principle of judicial review, empowering the judiciary to strike down laws or actions that violate the Constitution. This decision enhanced the Court's role as a co-equal branch of government.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): Affirmed federal supremacy and implied powers under the Elastic Clause.

Constitutional Question:

Does Congress have the authority to establish a national bank? Can a state tax a federal institution?

Constitutional Citation:

Necessary and Proper Clause (Article I, Section 8)

Supremacy Clause (Article VI)

Significance:

Reinforced federal supremacy and expanded federal power through the recognition of implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Schenck v. US (1919): Limited free speech during wartime under the “clear and present danger” test.

Constitutional Question:

Does the conviction of Charles Schenck under the Espionage Act for criticizing the draft violate his First Amendment right to free speech?

Constitutional Citation:

First Amendment (Freedom of Speech)

Significance:

Established the “clear and present danger” test, limiting free speech when it poses a direct threat to public safety or national security.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Ended racial segregation in public schools.

Constitutional Question:

Does racial segregation in public schools violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?

Constitutional Citation:

Fourteenth Amendment (Equal Protection Clause)

Significance:

Declared that “separate but equal” educational facilities are inherently unequal, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and advancing civil rights.

Baker v. Carr (1961): Enabled federal courts to intervene in redistricting cases.

Constitutional Question:

Do federal courts have the authority to decide cases involving state legislative apportionment?

Constitutional Citation:

Fourteenth Amendment (Equal Protection Clause)

Significance:

Established that redistricting cases are justiciable, leading to the “one person, one vote” principle in legislative representation.

Engel v. Vitale (1962): Prohibited school-sponsored prayer.

Constitutional Question:

Does a voluntary prayer in public schools violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment?

Constitutional Citation:

First Amendment (Establishment Clause)

Significance:

Prohibited state-sponsored prayer in public schools, reinforcing the separation of church and state.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963): Guaranteed the right to legal counsel in criminal cases.

Constitutional Question:

Does the Sixth Amendment's right to counsel apply to state courts through the Fourteenth Amendment?

Constitutional Citation:

Sixth Amendment (Right to Counsel)

Fourteenth Amendment (Due Process Clause)

Significance:

Guaranteed the right to legal representation for defendants in state courts, even if they cannot afford an attorney.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969): Protected student free speech in schools.

Constitutional Question:

Does the prohibition of symbolic protest (wearing armbands) in public schools violate the First Amendment?

Constitutional Citation:

First Amendment (Freedom of Speech)

Significance:

Protected symbolic speech in schools, as long as it does not cause substantial disruption.

New York Times Co. v. US (1971): Strengthened freedom of the press.

Constitutional Question:

Does the government’s attempt to prevent the publication of classified information violate the First Amendment’s freedom of the press?

Constitutional Citation:

First Amendment (Freedom of the Press)

Significance:

Strengthened the protection of press freedom, ruling that prior restraint is unconstitutional unless the government proves an imminent threat.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972): Protected religious freedom in education.

Constitutional Question:

Does a state law requiring compulsory school attendance violate the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause when applied to religious practices?

Constitutional Citation:

First Amendment (Free Exercise Clause)

Significance:

Prioritized religious freedom over state education laws in certain circumstances, affirming the rights of religious communities.

Roe v. Wade (1973): Legalized abortion under the right to privacy.

Constitutional Question:

Does the Constitution recognize a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy?

Constitutional Citation:

Fourteenth Amendment (Right to Privacy inferred from the Due Process Clause)

Significance:

Legalized abortion and established a framework balancing a woman’s right to privacy with state interests in regulating abortion.

Shaw v. Reno (1993): Addressed racial gerrymandering.

Constitutional Question:

Does redistricting based on race violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?

Constitutional Citation:

Fourteenth Amendment (Equal Protection Clause)

Significance:

Prohibited racial gerrymandering, requiring redistricting plans to meet strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause.

United States v. Lopez (1995): Limited federal power under the Commerce Clause.

Constitutional Question:

Does the Gun-Free School Zones Act exceed Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause?

Constitutional Citation:

Article I, Section 8 (Commerce Clause)

Significance:

Limited federal power by ruling that the Commerce Clause does not cover non-economic activities like carrying firearms in school zones.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010): Expanded corporate political spending rights.

Constitutional Question:

Does restricting corporate political spending violate the First Amendment’s protection of free speech?

Constitutional Citation:

First Amendment (Freedom of Speech)

Significance:

Expanded corporate political spending rights, emphasizing that political spending is a form of protected speech.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010): Incorporated the Second Amendment to the states.

Constitutional Question:

Does the Second Amendment apply to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause?

Constitutional Citation:

Second Amendment (Right to Bear Arms)

Fourteenth Amendment (Due Process Clause)

Significance:

Incorporated the Second Amendment to the states, ensuring that the right to bear arms is protected at all levels of government