U.S Government Key Supreme Court Cases

Question 0

Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824

Answer 0

Expanded Federal government’s power to conduct commerce

Question 1

McCulloch v. Maryland, 1818

Answer 1

Supremacy of national law over state law

Question 2

Barron v. Baltimore, 1833

Answer 2

Bill of Rights only applied to national government.

Question 3

Gitlow v. New York, 1925

Answer 3

By 14th amendment, all states have to abide by Bill of Rights

Question 4

Lemon v. Kurtzmann, 1971

Answer 4

Established how state money could be used to fund parochial school.

Question 5

Westside Community Schools v. Mergens, 1990

Answer 5

Rules for regular extracurricular activities applied the same to religious clubs.

Question 6

Wisconsin v. Yoder, 1972

Answer 6

The court upheld the right of the Amish to withhold their kid from school after eighth grade.

Question 7

Near v. Minnesota, 1931

Answer 7

Prior restraint is not upheld

Question 8

Roth v. U.S, 1957

Answer 8

Obscenity is not protected by constitution

Question 9

Miller v. California, 1957

Answer 9

Developed 3 part test to evaluate obscenity

1. Appeals to “a prurient interest in sex”
2. Showed “patently offensive” sexual conduct
3. Lacks “serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value”

Question 10

New York Times v. Sullivan, 1964

Answer 10

Slander has to be qualified by malicious intent

Question 11

Texas v. Johnson, 1989

Answer 11

Upheld burning the flag as protected by constitution

Question 12

U.S v. O’Brien, 1968

Answer 12

Draft cards cannot be burned

Question 13

Tinker v. Des Moines School District, 1969

Answer 13

Students could wear the arm bands and the right to free expression was protected on school campus.

Question 14

NAACP v. Alabama, 1958

Answer 14

Their right to associate guaranteed confidentiality of people on the list.

Question 15

Mall v. Ohio, 1961

Answer 15

Incorporate exclusionary rule to state

Question 16

Miranda v. Arizona, 1966

Answer 16

Police has to inform people of Miranda rights

Question 17

Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963

Answer 17

One must be guaranteed a right to council in any felony case. Incorporated sixth amendment to states.

Question 18

Furman v. Georgia, 1972

Answer 18

Overturned death penalty law in Georgia and encouraged most states to withhold use of death penalty

Question 19

Gregg v. Georgia, 1976

Answer 19

Court declared that death penalty was not cruel and unusual. Many states returned to death penalty after this.

Question 20

Griswold v. Connecticut, 1965

Answer 20

Supreme Court claims that it is the right of privacy to receive birth control.

Question 21

Roe v. Wade, 1973

Answer 21

No state control during first trimester. States can allow regulated abortions during the descend trimester but only to protect mother’s health. States can ban abortion during third abortion, except when mothers health or life in danger.

Question 22

U.S.A Patriot Act (Uniting and Strengthening America Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001)

Answer 22

May tap any telephone, internet and voicemails used by a suspect, after getting a court order
Any noncitizen can beheld as a security risk for seven days, sometimes longer
Government can track money across USA borders and among border
Statute of limitations on terrorist crimes eliminated, penalties increased