-
Near v. Minnesota
A Minnesota law that imposed permanent injunctions against the publication of newspapers with "malicious, scandalous, and defamatory" content violated the First Amendment. -
West Virginia v. Barnette
The West Virginia Board’s policy requiring students and teachers to recite the Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional. Reversing Minersville v. Gobitas (1940), the Court held government cannot “force citizens to confess by word or act their faith” in matters of opinion -
Bethel School District v. Fraser
A public school student was suspended for giving a speech at a school assembly that included indecent content.The school did not violate the student’s rights. The 1st Amendment does not prevent a school district from disciplining a student for using speech that is lewd or indecent. -
Tinker v. Des Moines independent community school district
Three public school students wore black armbands to school to peacefully protest the Vietnam war and they were suspended from school for refusing to take them off. The supreme court ruled that their first amendment right was violated. -
Cohen v. California
A California statute prohibiting the display of offensive messages violated freedom of expression. -
Miller v. California
This case set forth rules for obscene prosecutions, but it also gave states and localities flexibility in determining what is obscene. -
McDaniel v. Paty
McDaniel was a Baptist minister from Chattanooga, Tennessee. He filed as a candidate to be a delegate to the 1977 Tennessee State Constitutional Convention. His opponent successfully challenged his candidacy based on a state law that forbade ordained ministers from elected office. -
Island Trees School District v. Pico
The Supreme Court ruled that officials could not remove books from school libraries because they disagreed with the content of the books’ messages. -
Texas v. Johnson
Flag burning as political protest is a form of symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment. -
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society v. Stratton
City laws requiring permits for political advocates going door to door were unconstitutional because such a mandate would have a “chilling effect” on political communication. -
Virginia v. Hicks
Richmond could ban non-residents from public housing complexes if the non-residents did not have “a legitimate business or social purpose” for being there. The trespass policy was not overbroad and did not infringe upon First Amendment rights. -
Morse v. Frederick
The First Amendment did not protect a public school student’s right to display a banner reading “Bong Hits 4 Jesus”. While students have the right to engage in political speech, the right was outweighed by the school’s mission to discourage drug use.
