Supreme Court Cases

Question 1

What was the decision of the Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) court case?

Answer 1

Landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that held the U.S. Constitution did not extend American Citizenship to African descent.

Question 2

Which amendments were involved in the Dred Scott v Sandford (1857) court case?

Answer 2

13th Amendment
14th Amendment
5th Amendment

Question 3

What is the Dred Scott v Sandford (1857) court case?

Answer 3

Enslaved black man fought for his freedom.

Question 4

What decision was made in the court case of United States v. Nixon (1974)?

Answer 4

The court granted that there was a limited executive privilege in areas of military or diplomatic affairs, but even the president was not above the law. President Nixon had to deliver tape recordings and other materials related to the Watergate scandal.

Question 5

What amendments were violated in the court case United States v. Nixon (1974)?

Answer 5

The 5th Amendment
The 14th Amendment

Question 6

What was the court’s decision of the court case Bush v. Gore (2000)?

Answer 6

The court overturned the Florida Supreme Court decision that manual recounts of ballots should continue in some countries, holding that methods and standards violate the equal protection clause.

Question 7

What amendment was violated in Bush v. Gore (2000)?

Answer 7

The 14th Amendment

Question 8

What was the decision of District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)?

Answer 8

Landmark Supreme Court case that affirmed the Individual right to possess firearms for self-defense.

Question 9

What is District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)?

Answer 9

A case that involved the challenge to a D.C law that banned handguns and required other firearms to be kept unloaded and locked in the home.

Question 10

What amendment is violated in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)?

Answer 10

The 2nd Amendment

Question 11

What is the decision for the court case Schenck v. United States (1919)?

Answer 11

United States Supreme Court case that upheld the Espionage Act of 1917 and limited the freedom of speech under the First Amendment.

Question 12

What did the court establish in the court case Schenck v. United States (1919)

Answer 12

The court ruled that speech that creates a “clear and present danger” to society is not protected by the constitution.

Question 13

What was the decision of the court case Near v. Minnesota (1931)?

Answer 13

Prior restraint on publication violated freedom of the press as protected under the First Amendment. Preventing the press from publishing certain context before it is disseminated to the public. Violated the 14th Amendment.

Question 14

What is the court case West Virginia v. Barnette (1943)?

Answer 14

West Virginia board of education wanted students to salute the flag as a mandatory activity. Students refused and were sent home.

Question 15

What was violated in the court case Virginia v. Barnette (1943)?

Answer 15

Unconstitutional violation of their freedom of speech and religion.

Question 16

What was the decision in the court case Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Answer 16

Landmark United States Supreme Court case that ruled that prayer in public schools, even if voluntary, was unconstitutional. Violated the 1st Amendment of a state establishment of religion.

Question 17

What was the decision of the court case New York Times v. Sulivan (1964)?

Answer 17

The Landmark United States Supreme Court decision held that First Amendment freedom of speech protections limit the ability of public officials to sue for defamation. Court ruled that public officials must prove that the offending statement was made with “actual malice.”

Question 18

What is the Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) court case?

Answer 18

A group of students wore black armbands to school to protest the war in Vietnam.

Question 19

What was the ruling in the case of Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) ?

Answer 19

Students has the right to free speech in public schools.

Question 20

What was the decision of the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988)?

Answer 20

The First Amendment rights of student journalists are not violated when school officials prevent the publication of certain articles in the school newspaper. Limits the First Amendment rights of public students regarding school-sponsored speech.

Question 21

What is the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988) court case?

Answer 21

The principal deleted pages of the school’s newspaper that he seemed to be inappropriate.

Question 22

What was the decision of the court case Texas v. Johnson (1989)?

Answer 22

Arrested for burning an American flag at a political rally. Landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that burning the flag was a protected form of speech under the first amendment.

Question 23

What was the ruling on the court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Answer 23

The court ruled that laws prohibiting corporations and unions from using general treasury funds for independent political advertising violated the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech. Produced a negative ad about Senator Hillary Clinton.

Question 24

What was the decision of the court case of Mapp v. Ohio (1961)?

Answer 24

Landmark Supreme Court case in 1961 ruled that evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, is admissible in state courts. Mapp’s home was searched without a warrant, and she was convicted of possessing obscene material. Applies to both federal and state governments.

Question 25

What was the decision of the court case Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)?

Answer 25

Landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that established the right to counsel for criminal defendants who cannot afford their attorneys. Which ruled that the 6th amendment and the 14th amendment require the states to provide legal representation to indigent defendants.

Question 26

What was the decision of the court case of Miranda v. Arizona (1966)?

Answer 26

Police must inform arrested persons of their constitutional rights before and during interrogation. Holding his confession was obtained in violation of his 5th Amendment rights.

Question 27

What was the decision of the court case of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) ?

Answer 27

Established the legality of racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine. Racial segregation laws did not violate the U.S. Constitution as long as the facilities for each race were equal in quality. Violated the equal protection law under the 14th Amendment.

Question 28

What was the decision of the court for Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?

Answer 28

Declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Violated by the 14th Amendment.

Question 28

What was the decision of the court for Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)?

Answer 28

Upheld affirmative action, declaring that race could be one of several determining factors in college admission policies, but rejected the use of racial quotes. Violated the 14th Amendment.

Question 29

Obergefell v. Hodges

Answer 29

Same-sex couples sued 4 states that denied marriage licenses to those couples because those states defined marriage as a union between a man and woman.

Question 30

What was the decision that the court made for Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)?

Answer 30

Ruled the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Question 31

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

Answer 31

Banned the use or promotion of contraceptives for married couples. Violated the 14th Amendment and the right of privacy was implied by the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 9th Amendments.

Question 32

What did the court rule for the court case of Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)>

Answer 32

That the constitution protects the right of privacy within marriage.

Question 33

What did the court rule for the court case of Roe v. Wade (1973) ?

Answer 33

Ruled the Constitution of the United States generally protects the right to have an abortion. Violated 14th Amendment.

Question 34

Dobbs v. Jackson Women Health (2022)

Answer 34

Challenged the constitutionally of a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Violated 14th Amendment.