Important SCOTUS cases

Question 1

Marbury v. Madison 1803

Answer 1

establishes judicial review

Question 2

McCulloch v. Maryland 1819

Answer 2

expands federal “implied powers”

Question 3

Gibbons v. Ogden 1824

Answer 3

establishes Congress’s power to regulate interstate commerce

Question 4

Dred Scott v. Sanford 1857

Answer 4

says slaves are not citizens

Question 5

Munn v. Illinois 1876

Answer 5

says that states can regulate privately owned business to protect the public’s interests

Question 6

Plessy v. Ferguson 1896

Answer 6

holds that separate but equal facilities for African-Americans are constitutional

Question 7

Schenck v. US 1919

Answer 7

allows limits to speech based on the “clear and present danger” principle

Question 8

Gitlow v. New York 1925

Answer 8

incorporates free speech to apply to the states

Question 9

Near v. Minnesota 1931

Answer 9

says there can be no prior restraint of publication based on freedom of the press

Question 10

Korematsu v. US 1944

Answer 10

says the government can intern/imprison citizens during wartime emergencies

Question 11

Brown v. Board 1954

Answer 11

overturned Plessy ruling in regard to public schools

Question 12

Baker v. Carr 1962

Answer 12

holds the court may intervene in appointment cases and that every citizen’s vote carries equal weight

Question 13

Eugene v. Vitale 1963

Answer 13

says that there can be no school-led prayer in public schools

Question 14

Gideon v. Wainright 1963

Answer 14

requires that states provide defendants with attorneys in state courts

Question 15

Heart of Atlanta v. US 1964

Answer 15

says that the Commerce Clause applies to private and interstate business

Question 16

Griswold v. Connecticut 1965

Answer 16

citizens have an implied right to privacy, including the right to use contraceptives

Question 17

Miranda v. Arizona 1966

Answer 17

says that police must explain the rights of the accused at the time of arrest

Question 18

Terry v. Ohio 1968

Answer 18

police can search Unoka and seize if they have probable cause

Question 19

Lemon v. Kurtzman 197

Answer 19

establishes the Lemon Test, which allows for some governmental aid to parochial skills

Question 20

NY Times v. US 197

Answer 20

limits prior restraint of the press

Question 21

Miller v. California 1973

Answer 21

holds that community standards determine what obscenity is

Question 22

Roe v. Wade 1973

Answer 22

establishes a woman’s right to an abortion under specific circumstances

Question 23

US v. Nixon 1974

Answer 23

holds that executive privilege does not extend to criminal cases

Question 24

Gregg v. Georgia 1976

Answer 24

holds that the death penalty does not violate the Constitution

Question 25

Buckley v. Valeo 1976

Answer 25

establishes campaign money limits but also holds that contributions are a form of speech

Question 26

Regents v. Bakker 1978

Answer 26

race can be considered in admissions, but no racial quotas are allowed

Question 27

New Jersey v. TLO 1985

Answer 27

school searches without warrants are allowed

Question 28

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier 1988

Answer 28

school newspapers can be censored by teachers and administrators

Question 29

Texas v. Johnson 1989

Answer 29

flag burning is a form of free speech

Question 30

Planned Parenthood v. Casey 1992

Answer 30

states can put some restrictions on abortion

Question 31

Santa Fe ISD v. Doe 2000

Answer 31

there can be no school-led prayers at extracurricular events

Question 32

Bush v. Gore 2000

Answer 32

ended the election recount in Florida, which led to George W. Bush winning the 2000 presidential election

Question 33

Gratz v. Bollinger 2003

Answer 33

affirmative action in college admissions is okay but must be limited

Question 34

McDonald v. Chicago 2010

Answer 34

incorporate the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms to the states

Question 35

Citizen’s United v. FEC 2011

Answer 35

removed campaign contribution limits for businesses and unions