Landmark Cases Flashcards
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Does the segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race deprive the minority children of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment? Yes.
Brown v. Board of Education
14th Amendment (segregation)
New York Times v. United States (1971)
Did the Nixon administration’s efforts to prevent the publication of what it termed “classified information” violate the First Amendment? Yes.
New York Times v. United States
1st Amendment (speech, press, and assembly) (newspaper)
Gideon v. Wainright (1963)
Did the state court’s failure to appoint counsel for Gideon violate his right to a fair trial and due process of law as protected by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments? Yes.
Gideon v. Wainright
6th Amendment, 14 Amendment Sect. 1
Korematsu v. United States (1944)
Can the government infringe on individual rights in its need to uphold national security? Yes.
Korematsu v. United States
5th Amendment, 8th Amendment, 14th Amendment, Executive order 9066
Texas v. Johnson (1987)
Is it unconstitutional to desecrate the US Flag? No.
Texas v. Johnson
1st Amendment (speech, protest, assembly)
New Jersey vs. TLO (1985)
Did the search of TLO’s bag violate the 4th and 14th amendments? No.
New Jersey vs. TLO
4th Amendment, 14th Amendment
Heart of Alabama v. The United States
Can Congress force private business to follow the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Yes (because they were serving people from different states)
Heart of Alabama v. The United States
Commerce Clause, Civil Rights Act of 1964
Gregg v. Georgia (1976)
Based on Georgia’s conviction laws, is the Capital Punishment a constitutional sentencing? Yes.
Gregg v. Georgia
8th Amendment, 14th Amendment
Citizens United v. FEC
Should corporations have the same free speech rights as people? Yes.
Citizens United v. FEC
First Amendment, campaign donation regulations
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Is restricting a woman’s right to abortion unconstitutional? Yes.
Roe v. Wade
9th Amendment, 14th Amendment
Gratz v. Bollinger
Does the use of racial preferences by the University of Michigan during its admission process violate the equal rights of the applicants? Yes.
Gratz v. Bollinger
14th Amendment, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986)
Does the First Amendment prevent a school district from disciplining a high school student for giving a lewd speech at a high school assembly? No.
Bethel School District v. Fraser
1st Amendment (speech, press, assembly) (schools)
Reed v. Reed (1971)
Should a male be preferred over a female when the appointment of an administrator of estate is needed? No.
Reed v. Reed
14th Amendment (genders)
Schenck v. United States (1918)
Are Schenck’s actions (words, expression) protected by the First Amendment’s free speech clause? No.
Schenck v. United States
1917 Espionage Act, 1st Amendment (drafts/times of war)
Lemon v. Kurtzman
Is it constitutional for a state to reimburse Catholic School staff members for teaching secular subjects? No.
Lemon v. Kurtzman
14th Amendment, 1st Amendment (Lemon Test)
Boumediene v. Bush (2008)
Does the Military Commission Act of 2006 deny people at Guantanamo Bay the right to Habeas Corpus? Yes.
Boumediene v. Bush
5th Amendment, 6th Amendment, 14th Amendment
McCulloch v. Maryland
Did Congress have the authority to establish the bank? Did the Maryland law unconstitutionally interfere with congressional power? Yes. Yes.
McCulloch v. Maryland
Commerce clause (banks)
Baker v. Carr (1962)
Does the Supreme Court have jurisdiction over questions of legislative apportionment (redistricting)? Yes.
Baker v. Carr
14th Amendment, “political questions”
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988)
Did the principal’s deletion of the articles violate the students’ rights under the First Amendment? No.
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
1st Amendment (speech, press, and assembly), (school newpapers)
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Were the confiscated materials protected by the First Amendment? May evidence obtained through a search in violation of the Fourth Amendment be admitted in a state criminal proceeding? Ignored. No.
Mapp v. Ohio
4th Amendment
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
Did the state of New York exercise authority, in the area of interstate commerce, reserved for Congress? Yes.
Gibbons v. Ogden
Commerce clause (interstate commerce)
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Does the reading of a nondenominational prayer at the start of the school day violate the “establishment of religion” clause of the First Amendment?
Engel v. Vitale
establishment of religion clause of the 1st Amendment, separation of church and state
Gitlow v. New York (1925)
Can State limit your freedom of speech and writing (1st amendment)? Yes, when it is for treasonous overthrow, but the states have to abide by the Bill of Rights.
Gitlow v. New York
1st Amendment, Bill of Rights
South Dakota v. Dole (1987)
Can Congress withhold funds from the states if the states do not adopt federal policies? Yes.
South Dakota v. Dole
Commerce clause, 21st Amendment (grants)
Miller v. California
Is the sale and distribution of obscene materials by mail protected under the First Amendment’s freedom of speech guarantee? No.
Miller v. California
1st Amendment (speech, press, and assembly) (obscenity)
