-
West Virginia State Board of Education v Barnette
-The West Virginia Board of Education required all students to salute to the flag and a child of a Jehovah's Witness family refused. They were threatened with sending the child to a reform school
-Regards the 1st Amendment
-Challenges whether mandatory flag-saluting violated the 1st Amendment
-The Court found the rule to be unconstitutional as it interferes with religious expression -
Mapp v Ohio (Ruled Unconstitutional)
-Dollree Mapp was convicted after 'obscene materials' were found in her home under an illegal search
-Challenges whether an illegal search is just if the person was a criminal
-Regards 4th Amendment, whether it was an illegal search
-Court ruled it was in violation of the 4th Amendment since the search was without a warrant -
Engel v Vitale (Ruled Unconstitutional)
-The New York State Board of regents authorized a voluntary prayer for schools
-Regards the 1st Amendment
-Questions establishment of religion in the 1st Amendment
-Court ruled it unconstitutional since it breached separation of church and state -
Gideon v Wainwright
-Clarence Gideon was convicted and was not appointed an attorney since it was not a capital case. He was found guilty and then filed a habeus corpus petition against the state of Florida
-Challenges the law in state courts
-Regards the 6th Amendment and 14th
-The Court decided that an attorney must always be appointed no matter the case under the 6th and 14th Amendment -
New York Times Company v Sullivan
-The Public Safety Commissioner, LB Sullivan filed for libel after the NY Times published an article defending Martin Luther King Jr. with multiple factual inaccuracies. He won and the state gave him $500,00.
-Regards 1st Amendment
-Interferes with freedom of the press and what is legal under the Constitution
-The Court ruled it was protected as there was not information to prove it was under malicious intent -
Griswold v Connecticut
-A birth control clinic was opened in violation of a law passed in Connecticut that banned contraception
-Regards the 14th Amendment
-Questions if contraception is a constitutional right
-The court ruled that marital privacy was a constitutional right under the 14th Amendment -
Miranda v Arizona (Ruled Unconstitutional)
-Ernesto Miranda was arrested and not informed of his rights and denied his right to an attorney. He gave a written confession
-Regards 5th Amendment
-Court ruled the interrogation was unconstitutional as he was not read his rights
-Case questions individual rights conflicting with trials -
Loving v Virginia
-An interracial couple, Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving, were sentenced to a year in prison for violating laws banning interracial marriages in Virginia
-Brought up whether inter racial marriage laws were interfering with the Equal Protection Clause
-Regards the 14th Amendment
-The Court ruled against the Virginia statute stating it had no purpose other than for racial discrimination and violated the Constitution -
Brandenburg v Ohio (Ruled Unconstitutional
-Brandenburg was a leader of the KKK and was arrested for advocating for violence under a law of syndicalism
-Regards the 1st Amendment
-Court decided the law was in violation of free speech because they failed to make the distinction between what violates the law and free speech
-Clarifies what laws protect even terrorist organizations -
Tinker v Des Moines (Ruled Constitutional)
-Students wore black armbands in support of the truce in the Vietnam wore. The school forced them to not wear them the rest of the year. Parents filed a lawsuit against the school for violating freedom of expression.
-Regards the 1st Amendment
-Questions whether political statements in school are acceptable legally
-Court ruled that children are not fully subjected to the 1st Amendment because schools are in charge of them -
Lemon v Kurtzman (Ruled Unconstitutional)
-Concerning First Amendment
-Rhode Island and Pennsylvania had laws to pay non public, non secular schools
-Law legalized reimbursing and funding nonpublic, religious schools
-It challenged separation of church and state
-Court decided it was in violation of the First Amendment as the government is funding religious organizations -
NY Times v US (Ruled Constitutional)
-The Nixon Administration tried to keep the New York Times and Washington Post from publishing classified documents about Vietnam
-Could be seen as censorship
-Regards 1st Amendment about freedom of the press
-Court decided it was Constitutional because the First Amendment trumps a matter of security
-Opens debate over whether constitutional rights hold up in matters of national security -
Furman v Georgia (Ruled Unconstitutional)
-Furman burglarized a home and his gun went off as he fell and killed a resident, he was given the death penalty
-Regarded the 8th amendment
-Raised questions as to what constitutes the death penalty
- Court ruled that it was a cruel and unusual punishment as it was not intentional murder and some believed the punishment was racially motivated -
-Roe v Wade
-Jane Roe sued Texas District Attorney, Henry Wade for illegalizing abortion claiming it was a Constitutional right
-Regards the 14th Amendment
-Brings up abortion in the constitution as it is a modern process and whether the Constitution protects it
-The Court ruled abortion is protected by the Constitution since it is part of individual rights in healthcare -
Gregg v Georgia (Ruled Constitutional)
-Gregg was found guilty of armed robbery and murder, so he was sentenced the death penalty. Gregg claimed the sentence was a cruel and unusual punishment.
-Challenged whether the death penalty was constitutional
-Court decided the death penalty was not unconstitutional for this case since he deliberately killed someone -
New Jersey v TLO
-TLO was a student convicted for possession of marijuana after her school searched her. The State Supreme Court tried to deny motion to suppress since they believed it violated the 4th Amendment
-Regards the 4th Amendment
-Decides whether schools are held to the same rule over search and seizure
-The Court ruled that probable cause is not held to the same standard in school so it was acceptable -
Employment Division v Smith (Ruled Constitutional)
-Two counselors at a rehabilitation center administered hallucinogens' to patients as part of a religious ceremony and were fired. They tried to receive compensation as it was 'freedom of religion'
-Regards the 1st Amendment
-Demonstrates how far freedom of religion can go
-Court ruled the firing was constitutional as laws regarding conduct do not have exceptions for religious purposes -
Church of Lukumi Babalu v Hialeah (Ruled Unconstitutional)
-A church in Florida practiced ritualistic animal sacrifice. Florida then adopted ordinances to prohibit animal sacrifice
-Questions whether states can withhold any sort of religious practice
-Regards 1st Amendment
-Court ruled the ordinances were unjust due to it being a reaction to only the church -
Texas v Johnson
-Dorsie Johnson at the time confessed to the murder of Jack Huddleston and the state of Texas sentenced him to death. He sued the state for giving a punishment to someone of his age, saying it wasn't adequate
-Questions whether age should be taken into consideration under certain penalties
-Regards 8th and 14th Amendment
-The Court ruled that the punishment was Constitutional under the 8th and 14th Amendment since it was decided by a jury -
Morse v Frederick
-At a school event, Joseph Frederick held up a banner that said ' bong hits for jesus'. Principal Morse took the banner and punished Frederick. Frederick sued for it being free speech
-Shows whether institutions have power over free speech
-Court ruled it constitutional because schools can ban promoting drug use -
DC v Heller (Ruled Unconstitutional)
-Dick Anthony Heller was a police officer that applied for possessing a firearm and was denied by the state, so he sued the state saying it was in violation of the 2nd Amendment
-Regards the 2nd Amendment
-Questions state power over constitutional rights
-Court ruled the state law is unconstitutional because it interferes with the national right to a firearm -
McDonald v Chicago
-Several plaintiffs filed suit to Chicago saying the 2nd Amendment must be enacted under state laws
-Regarding 2nd and 14th Amendment
-Decides whether the 2nd Amendment is applicable to state laws
-The Court ruled that under the 2nd Amendment, all states must follow the Constitution -
Snyder v Phelps (Ruled Constituational)
-Matthew Snyder filed a lawsuit against the Westboro Baptist for protesting at a relatives funeral
-Regards the First Amendment to free speech
-Broadens the idea of what's acceptable under free speech even at a private event
-Court ruled it not in violation of the First Amendment as it is part of free speech -
Obergefell v Hodges (Ruled Unconstitutional)
-Same-sex couples sued states that illegalized recognizing same-sex marriages
-Regards the 14th Amendment by denying American rights based on same-sex marriage
-The court ruled it unconstitutional, but brought up the argument of same sex marriage as it is not in the constitution -
Mahanoy Area School District v B.L
-B.L was a student who posted on Snapchat cursing out her school after she didn't make the varsity cheer team. The school suspended her and she filed for a lawsuit saying it was in violation of the 1st Amendment
-Regards the 1st Amendment
-Court ruled that schools may only regulate speech if it is dangerous or on school grounds since students do not lose their 1st Amendment rights
