landmark supreme court cases

Question 1

marbury v madison

Answer 1

• declared an act of Congress unconstitutional
• checks and balances, gave supreme court power
• judicial review

Question 2

plessy v Ferguson

Answer 2

• public facilities “separate but =” segregation is okay
• 14th amendment

Question 3

brown v board of education

Answer 3

• separating children in public school on race is unconstitutional
• 14th amendment
• ended school segregation

Question 4

swann v. charlotte-mecklenburg of ed

Answer 4

• important nc state case
• 1965 busing, segregation
• 14th amendment
• overall, federal courts ability to tell a state to end segregation

Question 5

gibbons v ogden

Answer 5

• owned a ferry operation with a federal license.
• article 1, section 8 the commerce and supremacy clause
• gibbons won, supreme court national government regulates interstate

Question 6

Korematsu v u.s.

Answer 6

• Fred korematsu refused to go to an internment camp after pearl harbor
• war powers, 14th amendment
• allowed japanese American internment camps (extreme things happen in extreme times, things necessary)

Question 7

heart of Atlanta motel, inc. vs U.S.

Answer 7

• hotel refused to serve african americans
• 14th amendment and the civil rights act of 1964
• overall, the supreme court said public facility’s had to accept all people
• commerce clause

Question 8

Furman v georgia

Answer 8

• death penalty for accidental killing is cruel and unusual.
• 8th and 14th amendment

Question 9

Gregg v georgia

Answer 9

• declared death penalty constitutional if deserved
• 8th amendment
• death penalty in itself is not cruel and unusual

Question 10

Gideon v wainwright

Answer 10

• everyone has a right to a lawyer
• sixth amendment
• didn’t have a lawyer and was found guilty

Question 11

regents of the university of California v bakke

Answer 11

• 14th amendment, civil rights act of 1964
• racial quotas are unconstitutional but race can be a considerable factor in college admissions

Question 12

new jersey v t.l.o

Answer 12

• school officials need only reasonable suspicion, not a warrant, to search students
• did the search violate the 4th and 14th amendments

Question 13

Bethel school district v Frasier

Answer 13

• schools can prohibit vulgar and offensive language
• first amendment, free speech.

Question 14

Tinker v Des moines

Answer 14

• peaceful protest in a school is okay, upholding free speech rights
• first amendment
• students were wearing black arm bands to protest the vietnam war

Question 15

Hazelwood v kuhlmeier

Answer 15

• school sponsored student newspaper was censored due to inappropriate speech.
• 1st amendment
• principals have the right to edit/censor student speech

Question 16

Texas v. johnson

Answer 16

• burns a flag in protest
• first amendment
• flag burning is disrespectful but legal

Question 17

Miranda v arizona

Answer 17

• detained suspects must be informed of their rights, arrest without rights/lawyer is invalid
• 5th amendment, due process
• Miranda wins. a person must be ready his rights while being arrested

Question 18

mapp v ohio

Answer 18

• house was searched without a search warrant, and find gross materials
• can it be used as evidence?
• 4th amendment
• no. its unconstitutional, no warrant, no evidence.

Question 19

dred scott v sandford

Answer 19

• slave taken by owner to a free state where he dies
• Missouri compromise because no 13th/14th amendment yet.
• slaves were not people, but property.

Question 20

ny times v u.s.

Answer 20

• classified info, pentagon papers, was leaked to the NY times which was printed.
• first amendment (freedom of press)
• ny times won, publication didn’t result in immediate harm to people

Question 21

u.s. v nixon

Answer 21

• nixon stated “executive privilege” to withhold tapes from investigators
• articles 1&2 of the constitution
• court ruled against nixon, took power away from president and gave authority to Congress. Checks and balances

Question 22

roe v wade

Answer 22

• abortion are legal in first trimester, 2nd and 3rd in certain cases
• 14th and 9th amendment

Question 23

mcculloch v maryland

Answer 23

• Congress had the authority to establish a national bank and states could not tax federal institutions
• necessary and proper clause
• necessary and proper to establish banks

Question 24

gibbons v ogden

Answer 24

• federal law trumps state law
• supremacy clause
• national supremacy

Question 25

state v mann NC State case

Answer 25

• mann was found guilty of battery by twelve white men.
• unspecific amendment, only state constitution
• supremacy clause