Court Cases Flashcards
Scott v. Sandford
Details: Dred Scott would make a claim for his freedom when he was hired out in a free territory (Wisconsin)
Question: Was Dred Scott free or a slave
Ruling: 7 to 2 that people of African decent imported to US and held slaves, their decedents weren’t legal and they could never be citizens of US
US congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in territories
Plessy v. Ferguson
Details: Louisiana had law w/segregated trains; Plessy refused to leave white car and was arrested; court rejected his argument to violation of 14th am.
Question: Did Louisiana law requiring racial segregation on trains infringe on 14th amendment rights
Ruling: 7 to 1; court contend that law separated the 2 races as a public policy matter
-established separate but equal
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
Details: 3rd Grader tried to enroll in closest school (white school) was denied; used “doll test” to present argument of segregation impact on mental status; ruled ‘separate but equal’ facilities are unequal
Question: Does segregation on basis of race deprive children of protection of the 14th amendment?
Ruling: unanimous that “separate but equal” education facilities are unequal; racial segregation is violation of Equal Protection Clause
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Details: medical school student, Bakke (white male) denied admission 2 years;
Question: Did university violate 14th am. equal protection clause by practicing affirmative action resulting in Bakke’s rejection?
Ruling: 5 to 4 that the quota system was unconstitutional
United States v. Virginia
Details: Virginia military institution only male admission policy- had ‘separate but equal’ program for women
Question: Did Virginia’s women only academy satisfy the equal protection clause
Ruling: strike down VMI admission policy
Bowers v. Hardwick
Details: had warrant for arrest; missed court date; officer showed up weeks later to arrest him on recalled warrant; went in bedroom- Hardwick and other male arrested for sodomy
Question: Does the Const. protect right of homosexuals to engage in consensual sodomy
Ruling: right of privacy didn’t extend to consensual sexual conduct of homosexual acts
Lawrence v. Texas
Details: John Lawrence and Tyron Garner engaging in consensual anal sex; Deputy entered unlocked apartment after ‘call of weapon disturbance’ and drew weapon; were arrested
Question: Does Texas’s homosexual law violate 4th and 14th am.
Ruling: 6 to 3 to strike down Texas law; overturned Bowers v. Hardwick
Obergefell v. Hodges
Details: couple married in Maryland (where same sex marriage was recognized); Ohio didn’t recognize it and would not allow Obergefell to be survivor of Arthur’s estate. Argued it violated the Equal Protections clause and due process clause of 14th am.
Question: Does the 14th Am. require a state to recognize same sex marriage licensed in another state?
Ruling: 5 to 4 for Obergefell; must recognizes marriages; 14 am. applies to personal choices (marriage)
Griswold v. Connecticut
Details: Connecticut had law preventing all birth control- Estelle Griswold and physician opened birth cont. clinic to test law again
Question: Does the Const. protect the right of marital privacy against restrictions on contraception
Ruling: 7 to 2; Const. protected right to privacy; it was a violation of “privacy of married couples”
Eisenstadt v. Baird
Details: Baird handed condom to single woman; Mass law required contraception only to be distributed by registered doctors to married people
Question: Does the Const. protect a right to privacy for unmarried people?
Ruling: 6 to 1 for Baird; Massachusetts law not designed to protect public health and lacked a rational basis; applied right to privacy in Griswold v. Conn. extended decisions by unmarried couples
Roe v. Wade
Details: woman wanted abortion but was against Texas law. argued abortion was a right to privacy
Question: Did Texas’s law prohibiting abortion violate a woman’s right to privacy?
Ruling: 7 to 2 to strike down Texas abortion laws; right to privacy is broad enough to cover abortion. established trimesters that attempt to balance state’s legitimate interests against abortion right.
Gonzales v. Carhart
Details: partial abortion ban; Carhart was NE abortion provider
Question: Did the partial birth abortion ban place an undue burden on women seeking an abortion?
Ruling: 5 to 4 that respondents failed to show congress lacked authority to ban this abortion procedure.
Kyllo v. United States
Details: fed. agent used thermal imaging to record heat being emitted from Kyllo’s home that contained marijuana plants
Question: Does thermal imaging constitute a search, thus requiring a search warrant?
Ruling: 5 to 4 thermos imaging of Kyllo’s home required s. warrant
Illinois v. Wardlow
Details: officers patrolling high drug area in Chicago- perform search on Wardlow who was fleeing area- found a weapon
Question: Does fleeing in a high crime area from police create reasonable cause for stop and search?
Ruling: police didn’t violate 4th am; officer was justified in suspecting criminal activity
Mapp v. Ohio
Details: received tip Mapp and daughter were harboring bomb fugitive; demanded entrance to house-
Mapp asked to see warrant- police gave fake warrant;
searched house and found chest of porn/objects
Question: Is evidence obtained in an illegal search admissible in court?
Ruling: Mapp- govt cannot use evidence gained in illegal search
New Jersey v. T.L.O.
Details: freshmen caught smoking; 1st girl admitted, 2nd denied; forced to hand over purse–found marijuana, etc.
Question: Does the exclusionary rule apply to public schools?
Ruling: search was protected under 4th am.
Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton
Details: School began random drug testing due to increase in drug use; athletes were required to drug test in order to participate
Question: Does random drug testing of student athletes violate 4th am?
Ruling: school did not violate; school has duty to maintain safety and order
Riley v. California
Details: arrested after traffic stop and firearms were discovered
-phone was searched–contained evidence connecting him to a previous murder
Question: Was the evidence from the cell phone discovered in a valid search?
Ruling: Unanimous for Riley. Officer can check for weapons but cellphone evidence cannot be used and needs a search warrant. Cellphones are part of privacy of life.
Gideon v. Wainwright
Details: Gideon arrested for burglary of pint of wine;
-forced to represent himself in court
Question: Did the state court’s failure to appoint counsel for Gideon violate his right to a fair trial?
Ruling: Unanimous for Gideon
right to assistance of counsel was fundamental right and essential for fair trial.
Miranda v. Arizona
Details: Miranda arrested for kidnap and rape of 18 yr.o.
-confessed to robbery and rape under interrogation; request was denied b/c he didn’t ask for attorney during questioning
Question: Does the police practice of interrogating individuals. w/out informing them of their rights violate the 5th amendment?
Ruling: statements made can only be used if defendant was informed of their right to an attorney before questioning
Furman v. Georgia
Details: was robbing a man’s house- he woke up; Furman says he tripped an weapon fired, killing the victim
-was sentenced to death
Question: Does the inconsistency application of the Death Penalty constitute cruel and unusual punishment?
Ruling: other concurrences focus on arbitrary nature on which death sent. have been imposed
Roper v. Simmons
Details: 3 planned to commit burglary and murder- breaking and entering, throwing victim off bridge;
Tessmer dropped out
Simmons confessed, created reenactment of murder.
Question: Is it cruel and unusual p. to execute minors?
Ruling: yes; juveniles lack maturity and sense of responsibility
Ford v. Wainwright
Details: convicted of murder; sentenced to death;
-3 psychiatrists conclude he was mentally ill but capable of understanding nature of the death penalty
Question: Is executing the mentally ill cruel and U. pun.
Ruling: yes
Atkins v. Virginia
Details: abducted convenience store employee, forced him to withdraw $200, then shot him at isolated location
-Atkins IQ showed he was mildly mentally retarded
Question: is it C&U punishment to execute mentally retarded?
Ruling: yes
Marbury v. Madison
Details: presidential election; Thomas J. beat John Adams; Adams appointed 16 judges; Marshall assumed James Madison would finish delivering commissions;
-Marbury didn’t receive his
Question: did Marbury have right to the commission? Dow laws of the country give Marbury a legal remedy
Ruling: yes
McCulloch v. Maryland
Details: Maryland passes act taxing all banks that weren’t chartered by the Legislature; James McCulloch refused to pay tax
Question: Does US govt have right to charter banks and can the states tax them
Ruling: 5-0 for McCulloch; congress had power to charter bank;
-has implied powers for implementing the constitution, express powers to create a functional govt.
United States v. Nixon
Details: Watergate scandal; turned in edited tapes;
-Nixon claimed to have executive privleges
Question: Does the president have right to executive privilege. free of judicial review?
Ruling: reject Nixon’s claim
South Dakota v. Dole
Details: pass drinking law- withheld 5% of fed. aid highway act funds from states who didn’t adopt min age of 21 for alcohol use
Question: can US govt. require a min. drinking and tie it to highway funds?
Ruling: yes
Tinker v. Des Moins Independent Community School
Details: wear armbands to protest Vietnam war; School suspends them
Question:is symbolic speech protected by 1st am?
Ruling: yes; tinker’s symbolic speech was not disruptive
