SUPREME COURT - Key Cases

Question 1

SUPREME COURT KEY CASES

Answer 1

SUPREME COURT KEY CASES

Question 2

What two cases established the power of judicial review?

Answer 2

• ‘Marbury v Madison’ - 1803
• ‘Fletcher v Peck’ - 1810

Question 3

What did the Supreme Court’s ruling in the ‘Texas v US’ case in 2016 overturn?

Answer 3

Obama’s DAPA executive order

Question 4

In what Supreme Court case was the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act ruled unconstitutional?

Answer 4

‘United States v Windsor’ - 2013

Question 5

Why did the Court rule that the 1996 DOMA was unconstitutional in the ‘United States v Windsor’ case?

Answer 5

It violated the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment

Question 6

In what case did the Supreme Court rule that the 2006 Military Commissions Act was unconstitutional?

Answer 6

‘Boumediene v Bush’ - 2008

Question 7

When was the Citizens United v FEC case decided?

Answer 7

2010

Question 8

What was the decision in the Citizens United case?

Answer 8

5-4 in favour of Citizens United

Question 9

What did the Court rule in Citizens United that the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002 violated?

Answer 9

The First Amendment - Right to Free Speech

Question 10

What previous case was overturned in the ‘Citizens United v FEC’ ruling?

Answer 10

‘McConnell v FEC’ - 2003

Question 11

What did Associate Justice John Paul Stevens write in his dissent in Citizens United v FEC?

Answer 11

That the Court ruling rejected the common sense of the American people, who have recognizes a need to prevent corporations from undermining self government

Question 12

What did Obama say about the ruling in Citizens United v FEC?

Answer 12

That it gave lobbyists more power in Washington

Question 13

What did the ruling in Citizens United v FEC allow for the development of?

Answer 13

Super-PACs

Question 14

In what Supreme Court case did the Supreme Court uphold Obamacare?

Answer 14

‘NFIB v Sebelius’ - 2011

Question 15

How did the Supreme Court uphold the key principles of Obamacare in ‘King v Burwell’ in 2015?

Answer 15

They ruled that the subsidies for healthcare can be given to those enrolled in state healthcare or federal healthcare exchanges

Question 16

How much would have federal subsidies for healthcare been reduced if the Court had not ruled in favour of Obamacare in ‘King v Burwell’?

Answer 16

$29 billion

Question 17

How did the Supreme Court undermine Obama’s environmental policy in ‘Michigan v Environmental Protection Agency’ in 2015?

Answer 17

The Court ruled that the EPA must consider whether costs for clean air were justified

Question 18

What case did the Supreme Court refuse to hear in 2018 which effectively shaped public policy in regards to abortion?

Answer 18

‘Planned Parenthood of Arkansas v Jegley’ - would have challenged Arkansas’ strict regulation of medically-induced abortion

Question 19

How did the Supreme Court uphold the 1st Amendment in the ‘Burwell v Hobby Lobby Stores’ case in 2014?

Answer 19

The Court ruled that Obamacare cannot require emmployers to provide insurance cover for birth control if it conflicts with their religious beliefs

Question 20

In what Supreme Court case in 2011 was the 1st Amendment upheld in regards to the free speech of the Westboro Baptist Church?

Answer 20

‘Snyder v Phelps’ - 2011

Question 21

Who was the only Supreme Court justice to dissent in the ruling on ‘Snyder v Phelps’ case regarding the 1st Amendment?

Answer 21

Samuel Alito - said free speech didn’t allow for verbal assault

Question 22

In what case did the Supreme Court rule that there is a right to individual gun ownership without connection to a militia?

Answer 22

‘D.C. v Heller’ - 2008

Question 23

What else did the Supreme Court say in the ‘D.C. v Heller’ case of 2008?

Answer 23

That the 2nd Amendment didn’t allow for the ability to have a gun wherever for any reason

Question 24

In what 2018 case did the Supreme Court uphold the 4th Amendment by ruling that acquiring cell phone location data amounted to a 4th Amendment search?

Answer 24

‘Carpenter v U.S.’ - 2018

Question 25

What is the 5th Amendment?

Answer 25

The right to remain silent

Question 26

What did the Court rule in ‘Berghuis v Thompkins’ in 2010 regarding the 5th Amendment?

Answer 26

That a suspect simply remaining silent in an interrogation does not invoke their 5th Amendment right to silence

Question 27

What did the Court ruling in ‘Berghuis v Thompkins’ case challenge?

Answer 27

The ruling in the 1966 ‘Miranda v Arizona’ case - where Miranda rights come from

Question 28

In what case did the Supreme Court rule 5-3 that Texas law requirements on abortion centres were unconstitutional?

Answer 28

‘Whole Woman’s Health v Hellerstedt’ - 2016

Question 29

In what case did the Supreme Court allow same-sex marriage in all 50 states?

Answer 29

Obergefell v Hodges - 2015

Question 30

In how many states was gay marriage illegal before the ruling on Obergefell v Hodges?

Answer 30

13

Question 31

What in the Constitution meant the Supreme Court ruled in favour of allowing gay marriage?

Answer 31

The Due Process and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment

Question 32

What Supreme Court ruling was overturned by the 16th Amendment in 1913?

Answer 32

‘Pollock v Farmers’ Loan & Trust Co.’ - 1895

Question 33

Parts of what act were struck down by the Court in 2018?

Answer 33

The Voting Rights Act 1965

Question 34

What 2014 case reduced the use of affirmative action?

Answer 34

‘Schuette v Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action’

Question 35

How did the ‘Schuette v Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action’ affect the use of affirmative action?

Answer 35

The Court ruled that the ban on affirmative action in the Michigan state constitution was not unconstitutional

Question 36

What 2 cases in 2013 and 2016 respectively ruled that the University of Texas was allowed to consider race in admissions, although it had to be ‘necessary’ with ‘strict scrutiny’?

Answer 36

-‘Fisher v University of Texas’ - Two cases in 2013 and 2016

Question 37

What executive orders did Obama issue in 2012 and 2014 regarding immigration and how many undocumented immigrants were protected from deportation?

Answer 37

• DACA 2012
• DAPA 2014
• 11 million protected from deportation

Question 38

What did the Supreme Court rule in the ‘Trump v Hawaii’ case of 2018?

Answer 38

That Trump’s travel ban was not unconstitutional and fell within the remit of executive power

Question 39

In what 2022 case did the Supreme Court rule that people in the United States did not have a constitutional right to an abortion?

Answer 39

‘Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization’

Question 40

What 2 previous cases were overturned with the decision in ‘Dobbs v Jackson’?

Answer 40

• Roe v Wade - 1973
• Planned Parenthood v Casey - 1992

Question 41

In what 2020 case did the Supreme Court rule that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964 protected employees against discrimination because they are gay or transgender?

Answer 41

‘Bostock v Clayton County’ - 2020

Question 42

What did the Supreme Court rule in the ‘Kennedy v Bremerton School District’ case 2022?

Answer 42

Ruled 6-3 that the government, while following the Establishment Clause, may not suppress an individual from engaging in personal religious observance

Question 43

In what 2023 case did John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh join the Liberals in ruling that Alabama’s congressional districts violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act as it discriminated against African American voters?

Answer 43

Allen v Milligan 2023