Important Supreme Court Cases

Question 1

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Answer 1

Established the principle of judicial review, which gives the courts the power to declare laws unconstitutional. This case affirmed the role of the Supreme Court in interpreting the Constitution.

Question 2

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Answer 2

Strengthened federal authority by ruling that states cannot tax federal institutions (like the Bank of the United States). It upheld the constitutionality of a national bank under the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Question 3

Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)

Answer 3

Ruled that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, could not be citizens of the United States, and declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. This decision contributed to the tensions leading up to the Civil War.

Question 4

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Answer 4

Upheld racial segregation under the doctrine of “separate but equal”, which allowed segregation in public facilities and legitimized racial discrimination for decades until it was overturned.

Question 5

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Answer 5

Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson by ruling that racial segregation in public schools was inherently unequal and unconstitutional. This case marked a major victory in the Civil Rights Movement.

Question 6

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Answer 6

Ruled that states are required to provide an attorney to defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford one, under the Sixth Amendment right to counsel.

Question 7

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)

Answer 8

Affirmed students’ right to free speech in schools, ruling that students do not lose their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the school gate, as long as it doesn’t disrupt the educational process.

Question 9

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Answer 9

Legalized abortion nationwide, ruling that a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion is protected by the right to privacy implied in the Constitution, specifically the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Question 10

United States v. Nixon (1974)

Answer 10

The Court ruled that no one is above the law, not even the President. This case led to President Nixon’s resignation during the Watergate scandal after the Court ordered him to turn over tape recordings.

Question 11

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

Answer 11

Ruled that racial quotas in university admissions are unconstitutional, but race can be used as one factor in the admissions process. This case was significant in the debate over affirmative action.

Question 12

Bush v. Gore (2000)

Answer 12

Resolved the disputed 2000 presidential election, halting the Florida recount and awarding the presidency to George W. Bush. The Court ruled that the lack of consistent standards for counting votes violated the Equal Protection Clause.

Question 13

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

Answer 13

Legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, ruling that same-sex couples have the right to marry under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection and due process clauses.

Question 14

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Answer 14

Ruled that corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns, asserting that free speech protections under the First Amendment extend to these entities.

Question 15

Shelby County v. Holder (2013)

Answer 15

Struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which required certain states with a history of discrimination to get federal approval before changing voting laws. This decision has sparked ongoing debates about voting rights.

Question 16

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

Answer 16

Established a right to privacy by ruling that a state law banning the use of contraceptives violated the constitutional right of marital privacy. This decision laid the groundwork for later decisions on privacy rights, including Roe v. Wade.

Question 17

Loving v. Virginia (1967)

Answer 17

Struck down state laws banning interracial marriage, ruling that marriage is a fundamental right protected by the 14th Amendment’s equal protection and due process clauses.

Question 18

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Answer 18

Protected flag burning as a form of free speech under the First Amendment. The Court ruled that burning the American flag as a political protest is constitutionally protected.

Question 19

National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012)

Answer 19

Significance: Upheld the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), ruling that the individual mandate (requiring individuals to buy health insurance) was constitutional under Congress’s power to tax.