1. Marbury v. Madison
1803
Established judicial review (based upon Article III in Constitution and Judiciary Act of 1789)
Executive branch employees cannot go against congressional acts

2. Chief Justice John Marshall
William Marbury

3. Plessy v. Ferguson 1896
SC upheld a 1890 Louisiana law which provided for separate railroad cars for blacks and whites. Plessy was the one who was discriminated against. Ferguson was the judge who upheld the LA law.
Significance: legitimized segregation

4. Brown v. Board of Education 1954
The Court ( in a unanimous decision) declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. Overturned Plessy.
Oliver Brown, a parent in Little Rock, was the plaintiff.
Sig.: States cannot make and enforce “Jim Crow” laws

5. Engel v. Vitale
1962
Opening school with a prayer violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment
Engel-one of parents who protested the school board approved prayer; Vitale-school board president

6. McCulloch v. Maryland
1819
Backed up the national government’s power to use the elastic clause to make laws; also the Supremacy Clause holds that the states cannot make laws that “punish” the national government
Maryland’s displeasure with a national bank

7. Tinker v. Des Moines
1969
Defended students’ First Amendment rights in schools
Students wore black armbands to protest Vietnam War
Established the “Tinker Test:”
If a student’s “speech” significantly disrupts school and inhibits learning, then it is NOT protected

8. Mapp v. Ohio
1961
Incorporation of Fourth Amendment to apply to state law (unreasonable search and seizure)
Exclusionary Rule
Mapp-woman who refused to allow police to enter home without warrant—she was suspected of having bombs, they came in anyway and found obscene material..arrested her and she was found guilty
Conviction overturned

9. Roe v. Wade
1973
Right to privacy extended to include a woman’s right to have an abortion until viability (9th Amendment)
Roe-alias of Jane McCorvey who lied to doctor about need for abortion (said was raped); Wade-District Attorney for TX

10. Texas v. Johnson 1989
Gregory Johnson served a year in prison for burning an American flag in protest.
Sig.: The SC upheld the lower appeals court decision that declared flag burning as a legitimate freedom of expression as guaranteed in the First Amendment.

11. Gideon v. Wainwright 1963 Incorporation of 6th amendment to states
States are required to provide legal counsel in criminal cases if one cannot afford an attorney
Wainwright-Sec. of FL dept of corrections. Gideon-accused of burglary, lost trial when had to defend self—5 yrs in jail-appealed to SC

12. University of California v. Bakke
1978
Ruled it is unconstitutional for universities to have a requisite # of students based solely on race with a different admissions procedure
Violates 14th- Equal Protection
Schools CAN consider race as a “plus” factor, but cannot set aside seats, which inherently also makes race a “negative factor”
Bakke-white applicant to med school

13. Baker v. Carr
1962
Redistricting (a state reserved power) is actually justiciable-is there “standing”-the ability to bring it to a court; allowing the SC to check the powers of state govts.
Baker-Repub. Who lived in Memphis who felt the districts were drawn unfairly, violated 14th amendment. Carr-sec of state for TN

14. Katz v. US 1967
Charles Katz used a pay phone to conduct illegal gambling. He was caught by FBI & convicted.
Sig.: The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Katz, claiming that a conversation is protected from unreasonable search and seizure (4th amendment)

15. Miranda v. Arizona
1966
A suspect’s responses to police interrogation is admissible in court only if he has been informed of his right to an attorney (5th ).
Ernesto Miranda arrested on charges of kidnapping and rape—he confessed & was convicted—ACLU took his case to SC
SC ordered conviction overturned; retrial; guilty again

17. Reynolds v. US
1878
A member of LDS challenged anti-polygamy laws, claiming a violation of 1st Amendment freedom of religion.
The Court ruled unanimously that a law banning polygamy was constitutional, and did not infringe upon individuals’ First Amendment right to free exercise of religion.

18. Korematsu v. US 1944
In WWII, Japanese-Americans were forced to relocate to internment camps for the duration of the war. Korematsu-violated the executive order.
Sig.: The SC sided with the national government and upheld Korematsu’s arrest because they said the need for national protection outweighed an individual’s rights.

19. Lemon v. Kurtzman
1971
States cannot give funding to church-sponsored schools…such actions violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment
Lemon-PA teacher that claimed the actions of the state violated separation of church and state; Kurtzman-superintendent of schools in PA
Established the “Lemon Test”

21. Bush v. Gore 2000
In the 2000 presidential election, there was a controversy surrounding the re-counting of ballots.
The Court ruled in favor of Bush stating that the method recount violated the 14th amendment’s equal protection clause.

22. Schenck v. US
1919
A man was convicted for circulating pamphlets urging resistance to the draft
Established the "clear and present danger" test to determine when a state could constitutionally limit an individual's free speech rights under the First Amendment.

23. Bethel School District v. Fraser 1986
Matthew Fraser was suspended from school for making a speech full of sexual double entendres at a school assembly.
Sig.: The Supreme Court held that his suspension did not violate the First Amendment bc the 1st amendment doesn’t cover vulgar speech

24. Morse v. Frederick
2007
The First Amendment does not protect student speech (at school sponsored event) that can be viewed as promoting illegal activities
“Bong Hits 4 Jesus”