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Cantwell v. Connecticut
Cantwell and his sons Jehovah were proselytizing a mainly Catholic town in Connecticut. They were traveling door2door & approaching people on the street. 2 pedestrians reacted in an angry way and the Cantwell's were charged with violation of a Connecticut statute requiring solicitors to obtain a certificate before soliciting funds from the public and inciting a common law breach of the peace. The Cantwell's actions were protected by the 1st amendment and chargers were dropped. -
Cox V. New Hampshire
A New Hampshire state statute prohibited open-air gatherings, parades, and processions in public places without a special license giving by a town selectman. Case was rulled in favor of New hampshire stating "government cannot regulate the contents of speech, it can place reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on speech for the public safety." -
Everson v. Board of Education of the Township of Ewing
A law in New Jersey got approval for reimbursement by local school boards of the costs of transportation to and from schools, which includes private schools. 96% of private schools who benefited from this law were catholic schools. Everson, a taxpayer in Ewing Township, filed a lawsuit claiming that this "indirect aid to religion violated both the New Jersey state constitution and the First Amendment". The court ruled in favor of the board of education saying the 1st amendment was violated. -
NAACP V. Alabama
Alabama tried to prevent the NAACP from working in their state. The court issued a restraining order Alabama issued a subpoena shortly after. But the court decision ruled in the NAACP favor. -
Engel V. Vitale
The New York State Board of Regents got permission to do a short prayer at the start of each school day. Many groups of organizations joined together to protest the prayer, claiming that it violated the First Amendment. Engle won the case. Public schools can not hold prayers in school. -
Brandenburg V. Ohio
Brandenburg was a leader of the Ku Klux Klan and he was giving a speech at a klan rally but the state of Ohio convicted him under syndicalism. This law made it illegal to advocate crime, violence, or unlawful plans of terrorism in a way of accomplishing industrial or political reform. -
Miller V. California
Miller was advertising a market of adult material. Was charged with violation of California statute prohibiting the distribution x-rated materials. -
Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica Foundation
During an afternoon weekly broadcast, a New York radio station aired George Carlin's speech, "Filthy Words." The speech was about words to not say while on live radio. The station warned listeners about the foul language in the speech before airing it but the FCC received a complaint from a man who stated that he had heard the broadcast while driving with his young son. The court ruled in favor of the FCC because they gave a heads up to listeners before playing the speech. -
United States v. Eichman
In 1989 congress made it a law that it was a crime to destroy an American flag that is being displayed but it is ok for proper disposal of a worn or soiled flag. Eichman set a flag on fire on the steps of the US capitol building. Eichman thought the US was violating his first amendment and the court ruled in the case of Eichman. -
Morse v. Frederick(in class)
At a school event, Joseph Frederick held up a banner that said, "Bong hits 4 Jesus". The school principal suspended Frederick for 10 days. It would later go to court and the court would rule in the schools favor stating, "school officials can prohibit students from displaying messages that promote illegal drug use".
