Cases

Question 1

Marbury v. Madison (1803

Answer 1

Established judicial review, meaning the power of the courts to review laws and actions of the government to determine if they are constitutional.

Question 2

Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee (1816)

Answer 2

Reinforced the supremacy of the federal judiciary over state courts, asserting the authority of the U.S. Supreme Court to review state court decisions.

Question 3

Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1939) and West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1942) -

Answer 3

Both involve the First Amendment and compulsory flag salute; Gobitis upheld the practice, but Barnette reversed that decision, affirming the right to freedom of speech and the freedom of religion.

Question 4

Wickard v. Filburn (1942)

Answer 4

A significant commerce clause case where the Court held that the federal government could regulate homegrown wheat production due to its impact on interstate commerce.

Question 5

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

Answer 5

A controversial decision upholding the internment of Japanese Americansduring World War II, highlighting the tension between national security and civil liberties

Question 6

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Answer 6

Established Miranda rights, requiring law enforcement to inform suspects of their rights to remain silent and to have an attorney during interrogation.

Question 7

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

Answer 7

Recognized a right to privacy under the penumbras of the Bill of Rights, particularly related to contraception for married couples.

Question 8

Loving v. Virginia (1967)

Answer 8

Invalidated state laws banning interracial marriage, affirming the right to marry as a fundamental right under the Equal Protection Clause.

Question 9

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Answer 9

Affirmed the First Amendment rights of students in public schools, ruling that wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War was a form of symbolic speech.

Question 10

Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)

Answer 10

Reaffirmed Roe v. Wade, but allowed states more power to regulate abortions through undue burden tests.

Question 11

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010

Answer 11

Expanded free speech protections under the First Amendment, ruling that corporations and unions could spend unlimited amounts in political campaigns.

Question 12

National Federation of Independent Businesses v. Sebelius (2012)

Answer 12

Upheld the Affordable Care Act under Congress’s taxing power, although it struck down part of the law related to Medicaid expansion.

Question 13

Watkins v. United States (1957)

Answer 13

Key Issue: First Amendment rights and legislative investigations.
Significance: Held that Congress could not force an individual to disclose their membership in political organizations unless the inquiry was relevant to a legitimate legislative purpose. It reinforced the idea of protection against unwarranted invasions of privacy and political freedom.

Question 14

Barenblatt v. United States (1959)

Answer 14

ey Issue: Congressional investigations and First Amendment rights.
Significance: Upheld the power of Congress to investigate individuals’ political beliefs, stating that the government’s interest in exposing communist influence in the U.S. outweighed the individual’s First Amendment rights.

Question 15

Abbott Laboratories v. Gardner (1967)

Answer 15

Established that challenges to certain regulations could be heard before enforcement actions occurred, addressing the issue of whether judicial review was available for administrative rules that had not yet been enforced. (Ripeness)

Question 16

Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972)

Answer 16

Key Issue: Contraception rights for unmarried individuals.
Significance: Extended the right to access contraceptives to unmarried people, striking down a Massachusetts law that restricted access to birth control for unmarried persons. This expanded the right to privacy.

Question 17

United States v. Richardson (1974)

Answer 17

Significance: Held that taxpayers do not have standing to challenge government spending unless they can show a direct personal injury. This case clarified the limitations of taxpayer standing.

Question 18

Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986)

Answer 18

Key Issue: Free speech and vulgarity in schools.
Significance: Allowed schools to discipline students for lewd or vulgar speech at school events, ruling that the First Amendment does not protect speech that undermines the school environment.

Question 19

United States v. Eichman (1990)

Answer 19

Key Issue: Flag burning and First Amendment rights.
Significance: Invalidated a federal law banning flag desecration, holding that flag burning is a form of symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment.

Question 20

Arizonans for Official English v. Arizona (1996)

Answer 20

Key Issue: Official language and state constitutional amendments.
Significance: Held that an initiative making English the official language of Arizona did not violate federal constitutional protections, reaffirming the power of states to regulate language policy.

Question 21

Bush v. Gore (2000)

Answer 21

Key Issue: Presidential election dispute and equal protection.
Significance: Ended the Florida recount in the 2000 presidential election, effectively awarding the presidency to George W. Bush. This case raised questions about the role of the judiciary in resolving election disputes.

Question 22

Kyllo v. United States (2001)

Answer 22

Significance: Held that the use of thermal imaging to detect heat patterns in a home constitutes a “search” under the Fourth Amendment, requiring a warrant. This case expanded privacy protections against modern technology.

Question 23

Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

Answer 23

Key Issue: Sodomy laws and privacy rights.
Significance: Overturned Bowers v. Hardwick (1986) and struck down Texas’ sodomy law, ruling that consensual sexual activity between adults is protected under the right to privacy.
23. Morse v. Frederick (2007)

Question 24

New Jersey v. Delaware (2008)

Answer 24

Key Issue: Boundary disputes between states.
Significance: The Court ruled on a dispute over the boundary of the Delaware River, which is significant for determining jurisdiction over waters and land between states.

Question 25

State of Washington; State of Minnesota v. Donald J. Trump (2017)

Answer 25

Addressed the legality of President Trump’s executive orders on immigration, particularly the travel ban targeting several predominantly Muslim countries. The Court ultimately upheld parts of the ban but ruled against some provisions.