Constitutional Law Cases Flashcards
Department of Human Resources of Oregon v Smith
• Individual’s religious beliefs do not excuse person from complying with a law
Edwards v Aguillard
• Louisiana law “Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-Science” Act unconstitutional
Elk Grove Unified School District v Newdown
- Newdown did not have standing to bring suit because did not have sufficient custody over his daughter
- Dealt with Pledge of Allegiance “under God”
Engle v Vitale
• There may not be a prayer, even a nondenominational once, in public schools
Epperson v Arkansas
• States cannot prohibit the teaching of material objectionable to a particular religious sect
Lemon v Kurtzman (1971)
- Supreme Court strikes down state effort to subsidize parochial school salaries
- Established “Lemon Test” (3 obstacles to federal funds)
ACLU v Reno
- Ruled internet to be “mass speech…unlike broadcasting…non-invasive…same protection as print media”
- A law that bans sending “indecent” material to minors over the Internet is unconstitutional because “indecent” is too vague a term
Tennessee v Scopes
- Challenged a Tennessee law that made it a crime to teach evolution
- Fined Scopes, but the fine was reversed on a technicality
Baker v Carr
• Enables federal courts to intervene in and to decide redistricting cases
Brown v Board of Education
• Ruled that separation was not equal → outlawed segregation
Bush v Gore
• Held that Florida Supreme Court’s scheme for recounting ballots was unconstitutional
Gratz v Bollinger
• Michigan’s use of racial preference in undergraduate admissions violates Equal Protection Clause
Guinn v US
• Bans grandfather clause that had been used to prevent blacks from voting
Harper v Virginia
• The 14th Amendment forbids making a tax a condition of voting in an election
Heart of Atlanta Motel Inc. v US
• Congress can force private businesses to abide by the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Ledbetter v Goodyear
• Employment discrimination case dismissed because did not file within limitations period
Lochner v NY
• State limit of working hours unconstitutional because interferes with freedom of contract
Regents of University of CA v Bakke
• University can use special criteria to determine which students gained acceptance so long as it did not use a quota system
Reynolds v Sims
- Struck down AL’s apportionment law
* Must apportion based on population
Clinton v NY
• Ruled line item veto unconstitutional
Fletcher v Peck
• First case to declare a state law in violation of the Constitution
Gibbons v Ogden
- Expanded interstate commerce
* Established federal authority over states
Gonzales v Oregon
• Controlled Substances Act did not authorize Attorney General to declare medical marijuana illegal
National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius
Upheld most provisions of Obamacare
US v Nixon
• Granted that presidents have limited “executive privilege,” but it did not apply in Nixon’s case
US v Darby
• Affirmed the right of Congress to exercise to the “utmost extent” its power under the Commerce Clause, so Congress can regulate employment under the Fair Labor Standards Act
US v Windsor
- States have the authority to define marital relationships
* Struck down DOMA
DC v Heller
• 2nd Amendment protects right to possess firearm unconnected with service in a militia
Korematsu v US
• Internment of Japanese Americans was illegal → give compensation
Marbury v Madison
• Upheld judicial review of congressional acts