Court Cases Background information

Question 1

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 1

“We conclude that the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” —Chief Justice Earl Warren. Plessy vs. Ferguson was over ruled and separate but equal was dead.

Question 2

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 2

The Court decided that state laws requiring separate but equal schools violated the fourteenth amendment.

Question 3

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 3

The court decided that it violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth amendment.

Question 4

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 4

The court concluded that people of African ancestry were not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word “citizens” in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States.

Question 5

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 5

The court used the “taking clause” in the fifth amendment for the ruling in this case.

Question 6

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 6

The court used the fifth amendment for the ruling of this decision, which prohibited the denying property laws without due process.

Question 7

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 7

The Court unanimously ruled in Gideon’s favor, stating that the Sixth Amendment requires state courts to provide attorneys for criminal defendants who cannot otherwise afford counsel.

Question 8

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 8

The Sixth Amendment was used for the ruling of this case.

Question 9

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 9

The council clause from the Sixth Amendment gives the right of an attorney to all facing trial.

Question 10

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 10

The Court agreed with government, that the evacuation was necessary to protect the country, and stated that the need to protect the country was a greater priority than the individual rights of the Japanese and Japanese Americans.

Question 11

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 11

Article two section two of the constitution was used for the ruling of this case. It gives the president the power to make decisions for the protection of the people.

Question 12

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 12

The Court used the Commander and Chief Clause of Article Two of the the ruling of this case.

Question 13

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 13

The Court determined that evidence obtained against Mapp through the state search violated the Fourth Amendment, which prohibited unwarranted search and seizure. It also concluded the evidence obtained against Mapp was inadmissible in state courts.

Question 14

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 14

The Court used the fourth amendment to make this decision. The amendment prohibited search and seizure without

Question 15

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 15

The Court used the Warrant Clause.

Question 16

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 16

The Supreme Court agreed with Miranda and his attorney, they argued that Miranda confession should have been excluded from trial, deciding that the police had not taken proper steps to inform Miranda of his rights.

Question 17

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 17

The court used the Fifth Amendment, right against self-incrimination, and Sixth, Amendment right to the assistance of an attorney, were used in this case.

Question 18

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 18

Fifth Amendment- The self-incrimination clause

Sixth Amendment- The council clause

Question 19

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 19

The court upheld the previous decisions in this Supreme Court case by determining that that racial segregation is constitutional under the separate but equal doctrine.

Question 20

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 20

The court used the 14th amendment to anywise this case

Question 21

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 21

No particular clause however the separate but equal doctrine was used

Question 22

Regents of the U. of California v. Bakke (1978)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 22

The court concluded that a institution can use race as a decided factor as long as other elements were also taken into account.
In this case US Davis, did not meet these requirements and therefore, the court concluded that they violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment .

Question 23

Regents of the U. of California v. Bakke (1978)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 23

In this case, the court used the 14th amendment.

Question 24

Regents of the U. of California v. Bakke (1978)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 24

In this case, the court used the equal protection clause.

Question 25

Roe v. Wade (1973)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 25

In deciding for Roe, the Supreme Court invalidated any state laws that prohibited first trimester abortions. The court sided with Roe by asserting that the 14 amendment prohibits the states denying any right to individuals that are covered by the right to privacy.

Question 26

Roe v. Wade (1973)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 26

It violated the guarantee of personal liberty and the right to privacy implicitly guaranteed in the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments.

Question 27

Roe v. Wade (1973)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 27

In this case, the court used the “due-process” clause of the fourteenth amendment.

Question 28

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

1) What was the ruling (decision) of the U.S. Supreme Court in this case?

Answer 28

The Supreme Court decided that the Tinkers had the right to wear the armbands, with Justice Abe Fortas stating that no one expects students to “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.

Question 29

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

2) What Amendment or Article of the Constitution was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 29

The Supreme Court used the first amendment to the constitution, freedom of speech, to decide this.

Question 30

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

3) What particular “clause” (if any) of the Amendment or Article was used for the ruling (decision) in the case?

Answer 30

The Supreme Court used the free speech Clause.