IMPORTANT US SUPREME COURT DECISIONS. Marbury v. Madison (1803) federal powers Checks and Balances...
Transcript of IMPORTANT US SUPREME COURT DECISIONS. Marbury v. Madison (1803) federal powers Checks and Balances...
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
• federal powers• Checks and Balances• Judiciary Act of 1789• part of the act was unconstitutional• established Judicial Review
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
• federal powers• Federalism• Who has jurisdiction over interstate
trade/commerce?• The National Government has power
over individual states.• The National Government has the
right to regulate interstate trade/commerce.
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
• federal powers• Federalism• Does the state have a right to tax a
federal agency?• National agencies are immune to
state taxes (9-0)• The Federal Government has power
over the State Governments.
New Jersey v TLO (1985)
• school searches• 4th Amendment-search and seizure• Can schools search without a
warrant?• Yes, if the school has probable cause-
protection for all students (5-4)• Schools do not need a search
warrant if there is reasonable suspicion of a crime.
Vernonia SD v. Acton (1995)
• school searches• 4th Amendment-search and seizure• Does random drug testing of student
athletes violate unreasonable searches?
• drug testing is constitutional-protection for all students (6-3)
• Schools have the right to maintain student safety in an educational setting.
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
• school prayer• 1st Amendment-freedom of religion• Does daily prayer violate students’
freedom of religion?• Yes, it was a violation of separation of
church and state (6-1)• Public schools cannot mandate
prayer in school.
Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
• civil rights• human rights v. property rights• Were freed blacks citizens?• Blacks were property, not citizens (7-
2)• even free blacks were not citizens
therefore did not have citizen rights
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
• civil rights• 13th/14th Amendments-equal
rights/protection• Is segregation on public
transportation constitutional?• separate but equal is constitutional
(7-1)• separate facilities by races were OK
Brown v. BOE of Topeka, Kansas (1954)
• civil rights• 14th Amendment-equal
rights/protection• Is school segregation constitutional?• by definition, separate is not equal
(9-0)• public facilities have to be integrated
Parents Involved in Community School v.
Seattle SD (2007)• civil rights• 14th Amendment-equal
rights/protection• Is a racial based tie breaker against
the equal protection of the law?• racial tie breakers are not
constitutional (5-4)• high schools cannot use race to
determine demographic goals/quotas
Korematsu v. US (1944)
• discrimination• 5th/14th Amendments-due process and
equal rights/protection• Was the gov’t denying people’s rights by
enacting internment camps?• Korematsu’s rights were not violated (6-3)• In times of conflict, the government may
limit citizens’ rights.
University of CA Regents v. Bakke (1978)
• discrimination• 14th Amendment-equal
rights/protection• Can race be a factor for college
admissions? Is affirmative action reverse discrimination?
• Bakke needs to be let in-affirmative action is a case-by-case decision (5-4)
• Bakke was admitted to the university
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
• rights of the accused• 4th Amendment-search and seizure• Can courts ignore how evidence was
obtained?• No, the 4th Amendment should be
protected (5-4)• The police need to have a search
warrant/probable cause to search.
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
• rights of the accused• 6th Amendment-right to a lawyer• Should a person accused of any
crime have the right to a lawyer?• Yes, Gideon should’ve had a lawyer
(9-0)• The accused have the right to a
lawyer when they are arrested.
Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)
• rights of the accused• 6th Amendment-right to a lawyer• Should a lawyer be available during
the interrogation process?• Yes, Escobedo should have had a
lawyer during his interrogation (5-4)• The accused can have a lawyer
present during all parts of her/his due process.
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
• rights of the accused• 5th/6th Amendments-self-incrimination and
right to a lawyer• When is a confession legal? Should people
be aware of their rights when they are arrested?
• Yes, the rights of the accused need to be protected (5-4)
• “Miranda Rights” need to be read to and understood by the accused.
Nixon v. US (1974)
• separation of powers• Checks and Balances• Did the government violate the president’s
rights of power and confidentiality?• President Nixon must turn over tapes to
the US Congress (8-0)• No one, including the president, is above
the law.
Schenck v. US (1919)
• free speech• 1st Amendment-freedom of speech• Does free speech include anti-war
protests?• No, certain rights are not absolute (9-
0)• During times of conflict,
freedoms/liberties may be limited.
Tinker v. Des Moines SD (1969)
• free speech• 1st Amendment-freedom of speech• Does free speech include political
protests in school?• freedom of speech is protected (7-2)• Students may use free speech if it
does not interfere with classes/other students.
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988)
• free press• 1st Amendment-freedom of the press• Can school administrators censor the
school newspaper?• Yes, there are limits to our rights (5-
3)• Schools may limit freedoms if they
are part of a school function.
Morse v. Frederick (2007)
• free speech• 1st Amendment-freedom of speech• Does the 1st Amendment allow public
schools to prohibit students from displaying drug messages at school events?
• freedom of speech may be limited (5-4)• Schools can limit free speech at school
sponsored events.
Roe v. Wade (1973)
• abortion• 1st speech/4th privacy/5th private
property/14th equal protection• Does the 14th Amend. apply to a
fetus?• No, states cannot deny abortions in
the first trimester (7-2)• Abortion is legal and highly
controversial.