Supreme Court Cases

Question 1

Roe v. Wade (category, year)

Answer 1

Selective Incorporation, 1973

Question 2

Roe v. Wade (constitutional issue)

Answer 2

Was a women’s right to have an abortion permitted by the Constitution?
Did it fit into the broad right of privacy?

Question 3

Roe v. Wade (ruling)

Answer 3

Held that the women’s right to abortion fell under the right of privacy

• -> right of privacy: clarified in Griswold v. Connecticut
• -> expanded the definition of privacy

Question 4

Shaw v. Reno (category, year)

Answer 4

Districiting & representation, 1993

Question 5

Shaw v. Reno (constitutional issue)

Answer 5

Did racial gerrymandering take place with the district?

Did the district raise an Equal Protection Clause question?

Question 6

Shaw v. Reno (ruling)

Answer 6

Because the district was shaped in such a clearly odd way, it was enough to prove that there was apparent effort to separate voters racially.

Question 7

Tinker v. Des Moines (category, year)

Answer 7

1st amendment, 1969

Question 8

Tinker v. Des Moines (constitutional issue)

Answer 8

Was the prohibition against wearing the armbands (symbolic protest) violating free speech?

Question 9

Tinker v. Des Moines (ruling)

Answer 9

Students still have free speech rights
To justify them being taken away, the speech must substantially interfere with school operations
Majority opinion: “students don’t shed their rights at the schoolhouse gate”

Question 10

Baker v. Carr (category, year)

Answer 10

Districting & representation, 1962

Question 11

Baker v. Carr (constitutional issue)

Answer 11

Did the Supreme Court, as a unit, have the authority to hear cases in relation to legislative appointment

Question 12

Baker v. Carr (ruling)

Answer 12

Because of the 14th amendment (equal protection), the Supreme Court did have the authority
Impact: opened doors to unfair redistricting by way of the equal protection clause. Also lead to the development of the one person, one vote doctrine

Question 13

Wisconsin v. Yoder (category, year)

Answer 13

1st amendment, 1972

Question 14

Wisconsin v. Yoder (constitutional issue)

Answer 14

1st amendment–free exercise clause
By requiring WI parents to send their kids to school, without faith exception, is that violating the parent’s rights to freely exercise their religion?

Question 15

Wisconsin v. Yoder (ruling)

Answer 15

Requirement = unconstitutional

Individual interest in the free exercise of religion > federal interest in sending kids to school beyond 8th grade

Question 16

Marbury v. Madison (category, year)

Answer 16

Judicial review, 1803

Question 17

Marbury v. Madison (constitutional issue)

Answer 17

Did the court have the authority to order the delivery of commission?
Could a federal judge even bring the case to court?

Question 18

Marbury v. Madison (ruling)

Answer 18

By declaring a law made by Congress (judiciary act of 1789) unconstitutional, the practice of judicial review was put into place

Question 19

Engel v. Vitale (category, year)

Answer 19

1st amendment, 1962

Question 20

Engel v. Vitale (constitutional issue)

Answer 20

Unique because the prayer was non-denominational and voluntary
However, filed on the violation of the Establishment Clause
–> states that a law couldn’t be made “respecting an establishment of religion”

Question 21

Engel v. Vitale (ruling)

Answer 21

Can’t hold prayers in public school even if voluntary and non-specific
Main idea: school sponsorship of religious activities = violating of the 1st amendment

Question 22

McCulloch v. Maryland (category, year)

Answer 22

Federalism, 1819

Question 23

McCulloch v. Maryland (constitutional issue)

Answer 23

1) Did congress have the implied power to create a bank?

2) Could states tax a federal entity/bank?

Question 24

McCulloch v. Maryland (ruling)

Answer 24

Through Congress’ implied powers, they had the ability to create a bank
Based on the Supremacy clause (nat>state), the states weren’t allowed to tax the federal government

Question 25

New York Times Co v. United States (category, year)

Answer 25

1st amendment, 1971

Question 26

New York Times Co v. United States (constitutional issue)

Answer 26

Was the Nixon administration's prior restraint constitutional? Was preventing the publication of "classified material" a violation of the 1st amendment (freedom of press)?

Question 27

New York Times Co v. United States (ruling)

Answer 27

Upheld freedom of press | Established that there was a "heavy presumption against prior restraint" even for national security purposes

Question 28

Schenck v. United States (category, year)

Answer 28

1st amendment, 1919

Question 29

Schenck v. United States (constitutional issue)

Answer 29

1st amendment case Did the Espionage Act violate the 1st amendment? Was it in an appropriate way that congress expressed it's wartime authority?

Question 30

Schenck v. United States (ruling)

Answer 30

Held that the Espionage Act didn't violate the 1st amendment, appropriately used --> key limitation on the 1st amendment: free speech clause doesn't allow unlawful behavior

Question 31

Brown v. Board of Education (category, year)

Answer 31

Equal Protection Clause, 1954

Question 32

Brown v. Board of Education (constitutional issue)

Answer 32

Previous case: Plessy v. Ferguson --> separate but equal doctrine Was racial segregation in public school education against the Equal Protection clause?

Question 33

Brown v. Board of Education (ruling)

Answer 33

Separate but equal is inherently unequal --> racial segregation of public schools = unconstitutional MAJOR IMPACT --> Judicial review (reversed previous ruling) --> Stare Decisis (to stand by things decided, contrasted this term)

Question 34

Gideon v. Wainwright (category, year)

Answer 34

Selective incorporation, 1963

Question 35

Gideon v. Wainwright (constitutional issue)

Answer 35

6th amendment Was the right to counsel guaranteed? Did it also apply to felony defendants in state court?

Question 36

Gideon v. Wainwright (ruling)

Answer 36

Held the 6th amendment's right to counsel Applies to state court defendants via the 14th amendment Right to counsel = fundamental