Unit 3 SCOTUS Cases

Question 1

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Answer 1

• Amish people wanted to stop sending kids to school after 8th grade but Wisconsin required till age 16
• First Amendment–free exercise clause
• Said sending kids to high school was against their religious beliefs
• SCOTUS sided with Yoder/Amish and said that the 2 extra years were not important enough to warrant going against the free exercise clause

Question 2

Engel v. Vitale

Answer 2

• New York State Board of Regents authorized a voluntary prayer for the beginning of each school day
• Group of organizations said it violated the establishment clause
• NY Court of appeals rejected their arguments
• SCOTUS decided that the state cannot hold public prayer in school and that it violated the Establishment Clause

Question 3

Gideon v. Wainwright

Answer 3

• Gideon charged in Florida for breaking in entering
• Denied an attorney when he asked the court to appoint a lawyer for him (6th Amendment)
• Had to represent himself
• SCOTUS ruled that a right to assistance applies to criminal defendants in state court too (14th Amendment)
• Fundamental and essential right

Question 4

Tinker v. Des Moines

Answer 4

• Group of students wanted to wear armbands to show their support for a truce in the Vietnam war
• Principal created policy that stated any student wearing an armband would be asked to remove it and suspended if they didnt
• SCOTUS ruled that the policy violated freedom of speech (symbolic speech)
• Schools can only regulate speech that interferes with operation of school

Question 5

Griswold v. Connecticut

Answer 5

• Gave information about contraceptives to married couple
• Connecticut had law that banned anything furthering contraception
• SCOTUS said the various amendments created penumbras that established a right to privacy.
• right to privacy pertains to marital relationships and the court deemed the Connecticut law null and void due to it violating this right.

Question 6

Roe v. Wade

Answer 6

• Lawsuit filed against Henry Wade, challenging a TX law that made abortion illegal except with a doctor’s order to save a woman’s life
• Said it was too vague and abridged her right of privacy
• SCOTUS said that the right to privacy protects a women’s choice whether to have an abortion
• States can impose regulations in 2nd trimester and can prohibit them in 3rd except for life-threatening situations

Question 7

Marbury v. Madison

Answer 7

• Marbury appointed Justice of the peace in DC but did not receive commission and position was not valid
• SCOTUS said withholding commission is illegal but did not order it to be handed over via writ of mandamus
• Said court could not issue
• Established judicial review!!!–power to declare laws unconstitutional

Question 8

Miller v. California

Answer 8

• Miller conducted mass mailing campaign to advertise sale of “adult” material
• Convicted of violating CA statute prohibiting the distribution of obscene material
• SCOTUS ruled that obscene materials were not protected by the First Amendment

Question 9

Schenck v. United States

Answer 9

• Socialist leaflets distributed telling ppl that the draft violated the 13th amendment and to disobey law with peaceful action
• Charged with conspiracy to violate Espionage Act of 1917–said Act violated 1st Amendment
• SCOTUS said the Act did not violate the First Amendment
• Established clear and present danger test

Question 10

New York Times Co. v. United States

Answer 10

• Nixon Administration tried to use prior restraint on info belonging to classified Defense Department study regarding history of US activities in Vietnam
• SCOTUS said that the action violated the First Amendment
• No inevitable, direct, and immediate event imperiling the safety of American forces, prior restraint was unjustified

Question 11

Obergefell v. Hodges

Answer 11

• Same-sex couples sued state agencies to challenge bans on same-sex marriage saying it violated the Equal Protection and Due Process clause of the 14th Amendment–also Civil Rights Act
• SCOTUS said that the Due Process clause of 14th amendment guarantees the right to marry as one of the fundamental liberties and that it applies to same-sex couples
• Equal Protection clause also guarantees the right of same-sex couples to marry bc they have equal protection under the law
• First Amendment protects rights of religious organizations to adhere to their principles but states cant deny same-sex couples right to marry

Question 12

Miranda v. Arizona

Answer 12

• Miranda arrested and questioned for rape and kidnapping
• Police obtained a written confession from Miranda
• Miranda not told his rights–to remain silent and right to an attorney
• Found guilty
• SCOTUS ruled that Fifth Amendment requires officials to advice suspects of their right to remain silent and to obtain an attorney during interrogations
• Evidence obtained as a result of interrogation cannot be used if warnings not given

Question 13

Plessy v. Ferguson

Answer 13

• Separate Car Act–separate railway cars for blacks and whites
• Man who was ⅞ caucasian sat in “whites only” car
• Arrested when he refused to vacate car
• Said it violated 13th and 14th amendments
  -SCOTUS ruled the law was constitutional and upheld state racial segregation
• Said separate did not imply inferiority of African Americans