Landmark Supreme Court Cases

Question 1

Marbury V Madison (1803)

Answer 1

President Adams gave job to Marbury but the incoming president (Jefferson) didn’t want to appoint Marbury.
Precedent: JUDICIAL REVIEW
Constitution: JUDICIARY ACT OF 1789

Question 2

Gideon V Wainwright (1963)

Answer 2

Gideon was not appointed a lawyer in trial.
Precedent: EVERYONE GETS A LAWYER IN FED/STATE COURTS
Constitution: 6TH AND 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 3

Plessy V Ferguson (1896)

Answer 3

Plessy sat in a white railroad car. He sued because he said he had the right.
Precedent: SEPERATE BUT EQUAL RIGHTS
Constitution: 13TH AND 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 4

Brown V Board of Education (1954)

(OVERTURNED PLESSY)

Answer 4

Brown lived near a white school a street away but was forced to walk 6 blocks to a minority school.
Precedent: DESEGRAGATED and INTEGRATED SCHOOLS AND OVERTURNED PLESSY
Constitution: 14TH AMENDEMENT

Question 5

Swann V CMS (1974)

Answer 5

Swann was African American.The family sued because CMS was still 90% segragated and there was more white than minority.
Precedent: BUSSING STUDENTS WAS CONSTITUTIONAL
Constitution: 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 6

Texas V Johnson (1989)

Answer 6

Johnson burned the American Flag at a Republican Convention.
Precedent: BURNING FLAG AS A SIGN OF PROTEST IS LEGAL.
Constitution: 1ST AMENDMENT

Question 7

Miranda V Arizona (1966)

Answer 7

Ernesto Miranda was arrested but was not told his rights
Precedent: MIRANDA RIGHTS
Constitution: 5TH, 6TH AND 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 8

Truman V Georgia (1972)

Answer 8

Furman was robbing and accidentally killed the owner of the house and got death penalty.
Precedent: STATES REVIEWED DEATH PENALTY LAWS
Constitution: 8TH AMENDMENT

Question 9

Gregg V Georgia (1976)

(OVERTURNED TRUMAN V GEORGIA)

Answer 9

Gregg and his friend went to a convenience store and kidnapped and murdered a guy. Given death penalty
Precedent: DEATH PENALTY WAS NOT CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT
Constitution: 8TH AMENDMENT

Question 10

Hazelwood V Kuhlmeier (1988)

Answer 10

Principal denied two articles about teen pregnancy and divorce from student journalists.
Precedent: SCHOOL STAFF HAS THE RIGHT TO LIMIT SPEECH IF NOT NEEDED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
Constitution: 1ST AMENDMENT

Question 11

Schenck V US (1918)

Answer 11

Tried to distribute flyers to soldiers that told them to leave the military
Precedent CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER (IMMINENT ACTION)
Constitution: 1ST AMENDMENT

Question 12

California V Greenwood (1988)

Answer 12

Billy Greenwood was a suspected drug user but police could not get a warrant to prove it. Police took his trash and found evidence.
Precedent: NO REASONABLE EXPECTATION IS NEEDED ONCE ITS ON PUBLIC DOMAIN
Constitution: 4TH AMENDMENT

Question 13

Tinker V Des Moines (1969)

Answer 13

Wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam War and got suspended.
Precedent: STUDENTS HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AT SCHOOL
Constitution: 1ST AMENDMENT AND 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 14

U.S V Nixon (1974)

Answer 14

Watergate. Nixon said he didn’t have to turn in tape evidence because he had executive privilege
Precedent: NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW
Constitution: SUPREMACY CLAUSE AND EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE

Question 15

West VA V Barnette (1943)

Answer 15

Jehovah Witness refused to recite the pledge of allegenice and got suspended.
Precedent: CANNOT BE FORCED BUT YOU HAVE TO STAND
Constitution: 1ST AMENDMENT

Question 16

Roe V Wade (1973)

Answer 16

Pregnant Woman wanted abortion but Texas law said no.
Precedent: RIGHT TO AN ABORTION IS YOUR CHOICE.
Constitution: 1ST, 4TH, 5TH, 9TH, AND 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 17

NJ V TLO (1986)

Answer 17

TLO was smoking in the bathroom at school and principal went through her bag and found evidence of selling drugs.
Precedent: RULED THAT RIGHTS WEREN’T VIOLATED AND REASONABLE SUSPICION
Constitution: 4TH AMENDMENT

Question 18

Pottawatomie V Earls (2002)

Answer 18

Lindsey wanted to be in chorus but had to pee in a cup

Precedent: DRUG TESTS ARE ALLOWED; REASONABLE SUSPICION AND PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT

Question 19

In RE Gault (1966)

Answer 19

16 year old Charles and his friends prank called his neighbors. Taken and questioned, was not given lawyer and parents weren’t called. Charged with 6 years Juvy.
Precedent: JUVENILE (TEENAGERS) GET THE SAME RIGHTS AS EVERYONE ELSE.
Constitution: 5TH, 6TH, 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 20

Citizens United V FEC (Federal Elections Committee)

2010

Answer 20

Hillary was running for presidency and some group released a video before her campaign.
Precedent: OK FOR INDIVIDUAL GROUPS TO BUY COMMERCIAL TIME FOR A CAMPAIGN. LIMITLESS
Constitution:

Question 21

Gibbons V Ogden (1824)

Answer 21

Gibbons was from NJ and came to NY for business by boat. Was charged to pay taxes whenever he went to NY
Precedent: CANNOT CHARGE PEOPLE COMING INTO STATE
Constitution: ARTICLE AND ARTICLE 6 (SUPREMACY CLAUSE)

Question 22

Mapp V Ohio (1961)

Answer 22

Officer thought there was a bombing at a protest. They thought Mapp was harboring the bomber so they issued a fake warrant and found child porn.
Precedent: UNREASONABLE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES
Constitution: 4TH AMENDMENT AND EXCLUSIONARY RULE

Question 23

Engel V Vitale (1962)

Answer 23

State of New York authorized a short, voluntary prayer at the beginning of each school day.
Precedent: A STATE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO ESTABLISH A RELIGION
Constitution: ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE

Question 24

Bethel School District V Fraser (1986)

Answer 24

At a school assembly, Matthew Fraser made a speech nominating a person for president by using graphic sexual metaphor to promote the candidate. The school enforced a rule that said something of that sort was not allowed.
Precedent: THE SCHOOL CAN PROHIBIT THE USE OF VULGAR AND OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE.
Constitution: 1ST AMENDMENT

Question 25

Lucas V SC (1992)

Answer 25

Lucas was not allowed to build beachfront homes on the land that he owned. He did not receive just compensation.

Question 26

University Of California V Bakke (1978)

Answer 26

Allan Bakke a 35 year old white male, had applied twice to the University of California. He was rejected twice. The university had reserved 16 places for each entering class based off affirmative action.
Precedent: UNIVERSITY;S CANNOT DENY WHITE PEOPLE BUT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS STILL CONSTITUTIONAL IN SOME AREAS
Constitution: 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 27

Fisher V University of Texas (2013)

Answer 27

In 1977, Texas legislature made a law that required university of Texas to all high school seniors who were top 10% in their high school. Caucasian female had applied for undergraduate admission and was denied.
Precedent: Race was not a judgement of college admission unless for other circumstances.
Constitution: 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 28

DC V Heller (2008)

Answer 28

Case about the central meaning of the second amendment. DC required license for pistols, barred the registration of handguns and legal firearms unloaded and dismantled.
Precedent: SECOND AMENDMENT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL GUNS WITHOUT BEING IN MILITIA OR ARMY
Constitution: 2ND AMENDMENT

Question 29

McDonald V Chicago (2010)

Answer 29

Suits were filed against Chicago and Oak Park in Illinois after Dc V Heller was passed about their gun bans.
Precedent: THE SECOND AMENDMENT APPLIES TO ALL STATES
Constitution: 2ND AND 14TH AMENDMENT

Question 30

Grutter V Bullinger (1997)

Answer 30

Barbara Gutter a white resident of Michigan, applied for admission @ University of Michigan Law School and was denied with a 3.8 GPA. School admitted using race as a factor of admission.
Precedent: IT IS FINE FOR A SCHOOL TO USE RACE AS SOME JUDGING FACTOR, BUT AS LONG THAT IS NOT THE DECIDING FACTOR AND OTHER BACKGROUND IS REVIEWED.
Constitutional: 14TH AMENDMENT AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964

Question 31

Gratz V Bollinger (2002)

(Overturned Grutter V Bollinger)

Answer 31

Jennifer Gratz applied to University of Michigan and was denied. Patrick applied to university and was denied.
Precedent: RACE COULD NOT BE A DECIDING FACTOR
Constitution: 4TH AMENDMENT AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACT