Supreme Court Cases

Question 1

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Answer 1

The Court has the right to decide the constitutionality of laws, not Congress; established precedence for judicial review

Question 2

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Answer 2

Declared the Federal government supreme and upholding the concept of “implied powers”

Question 3

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Answer 3

Ruled that constitutional laws or acts of Congress took precedent over the laws of the States

Question 4

Dred Scott v. Sanford (1866)

Answer 4

Dred Scott was ruled to still be a slave in the free territories as he was still the property of his owner. It overturned federal laws limiting the expansion of slavery into free territories and states because it deprived citizens of their property(slaves) without due process of the law

Question 5

Ex Parte Milligan (1866)

Answer 5

Civilian trials in military courts were ruled unconstitutional when civilian courts were available. This decision limited the broad authority of the president and the military in wartime.

Question 6

Reynolds v. United States (1879)

Answer 6

Upheld the federal law against multiple marriages, declaring that while religious belief could not be interfered with, “religious practices” could be regulated

Question 7

The Civil Rights Case (1883)

Answer 7

Ruled that while segregation by race was illegal for the government, segregation in the private sector was permissable. This limited the impact of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, and gave legal sanction to “Jim Crow laws”

Question 8

Plessy v. Ferguson (1914)

Answer 8

The Court ruled public-sector segregation legal as long as “facilities were equal”. This created the “separate but equal” doctrine until it was overturned by the Brown v. Board of Education Topeka in 1954.

Question 9

Weeks v. United States (1914)

Answer 9

The Court declared that illegal evidence was inadmissible in a federal court. This ruling established the “exclusionary rule”

Question 10

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Answer 10

The Court held that words could be weapons in wartime, so “protected political speech” could be limited on national security grounds during a war. This decision established the “clear and present danger test” for limiting speech

Question 11

Gitlow v. New York (1925)

Answer 11

The Court made it clear that the 14th Amendment had incorporate parts of the Bill of Rights into State constitutions. This decision set a precedent for broad future readings of the 14th Amendment cases, through which the Bill of Rights was incorporated into State constitution.

Question 12

Olmstead v. United States (1928)

Answer 12

The Court declared that wiretap evidence was admissible without a warrant, since the tap could be set with no “physical trespass” in the dwelling of a suspect

Question 13

Powell v. Alabama (1932)

Answer 13

The Court held that the right to counsel was fundamental to a fair trial. Due process required that all person who were accused of a crime for which the death sentence might be imposed had to be provided with an attorney by the state if they could not afford one

Question 14

Betts v. Brady (1942)

Answer 14

The Court noted that “special circumstances” such as a defendant’s illiteracy or very complex facts in a case would require appointment of defense counsel by the State

Question 15

Everson v. Board of Education (1947)

Answer 15

States can make payments to religious school’s buses because payment can be considered aid to children rather than “support for religion by government” This decision reiterated the “wall of separation” between church and state

Question 16

Dennis v. United States (1951)

Answer 16

Upheld the Smith Act, can arrest those that work for a violent overthrow of the government.

Question 17

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)

Answer 17

Claimed that segregation in the public schools is unconstitutional (along with the Plessy precedent, “separate but equal”) Called for an integration of all public schools

Question 18

Roth v. United States (1957)

Answer 18

Obscenity is not protected under the 1st Amendment; established standards for limiting obscene published materials

Question 19

Mapp v. Ohio (1962)

Answer 19

No man is to be convisted on unconstitutional evidence; extended the exclusionary rule to the State Courts

Question 20

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Answer 20

The Court ruled it was not a violation of the federal system for the judiciary to intervene in redistricting cases when obvious discrimination shaped the drawing of lines of State legislative districts

Question 21

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Answer 21

Struck down the recitation of prayers in schools

Question 22

Edwards v. South Carolina (1963)

Answer 22

Unpopular speech must be protected

Question 23

Abington v. Schempp (1963)

Answer 23

Forbade bible reading in public schools; states must remain neutral on religion

Question 24

Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)

Answer 24

A confession is inadmissible in State courts if gained from a defendant not warned of his absolute rights to remain silent and for whom counsel was not provided when requested. This decision extended the “exclusionary rule” to illegally gained confessions in State proceedings.

Question 25

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

Answer 25

Contraceptives are legal as the constitution “creates zones of privacy”; this has raised of what is a “right to privacy”

Question 26

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Answer 26

The Court established the reading of the “Miranda Warning” for all defendants when questioning became specific

Question 27

Sheppard v. Maxwell (1966)

Answer 27

The Court ruled that “trial judges must take strong measures to ensure that the balance is never weighted against the accused”

Question 28

In re Gault (1967)

Answer 28

Juveniles are guaranteed “most” of the procedural protections guaranteed to adults, including rights to notification of charges, legal counsel, cross examination, confrontation of the accuser, and to be advised of their rights.

Question 29

Kats v. United States (1967)

Answer 29

The Court overturned Olmstead noting that “persons, not just property are protected against illegal searches…” The decision required police to obtain search warrants for wiretaps or electronic surveillance devices.

Question 30

Wals v. Tax Commission (1970)

Answer 30

The court ruled that tax exemptions on church-owned property is simply an example of “benevolant neutrality” between government and religion and not support for religion. Governments should avoid taxing church property.

Question 31

Lemon v. Kurtsman (1971)

Answer 31

The Court ruled against “excessive entanglements” by government in religious affairs. i.e. aid to church schools; they created a three-part Lemon test to examine aid to religious institutions by State and Local governments.