Key Supreme Court Cases

Salem Witch Trials

Feb 20, 1692

The Salem Witch Trials were a series of trials done to the men and women of Salem, Massachusetts, because Abigail Adams accused them of practicing witch craft. This lead to the hanging of twenty people, mostly women. This trial changed the way the courts dealt with the prosecutions of people and they needed to gather more evidence before putting them on trial because the people were wrongly accused.

Marbury vs Madison

Mar 2, 1801

Started March 2, 1801, it was the first supreme court case. They applied the Judicial Review, for the power of federal courts to void the acts of congress in conflict with the consistution. In 1803, decisions were starting to be made.

McCulloch vs Maryland

Mar 6, 1819

Established that federal laws were the supreme law of the land.

Worcester vs Georgia

Sep 11, 1831

Georgia had an agreement with the Indians that people couldn't reside on there land w/o permission, and Worcester violated this agreement. He was arrested & he took his trial to the supreme court saying Georgia violated his rights. The supreme court went in favor with Worcester & said Georgia violated his 14th amendment.The US government is thus required to treat all American citizens in a respectful manner. Any attempt to over-step their boundaries will be deemed a violation of the constitution

Dread Scott vs Sanford

Jan 1, 1857

Dread Scott was a slave who sued for his freedom after being taken by his master to a free state. The court ruled against him, saying that slavery could not be prohibited in federal territories. Also saying that, since he was black, he was not considered a citizen,

Plessy vs Ferguson

Apr 18, 1896

Homer Plessy was seven-eigths White and one-eigths African American, he refused to give up his seat on a "whites only" railcar in Louisiana. He sued claiming his civil rights had been violated. The supreme court decided that since there was a cart for African American passengers the state of Louisiana had not violated the 14th amendment. They used the doctrine "Seperate but equal" to justify their decision.

Brown vs Board of Education

May 18, 1954

Brown vs Board of Education ended segregation in public schools because it was considered unconstitutional. Ruby Bridges was the first African American to enter and all whites school in the South, a lot of white adults would make threats at her. The Little Rock Nine were a group of kids who entered an all whites high school in Little Rock, Arkansas. The governer of Arkansas didn't want them there, so he sent troops to block them, but President Eisenhower sent in federal troops to let them in.

Gideon vs Wainwright

Mar 18, 1963

All accused criminals had the right to a lawyer whether they could afford one or not.

Miranda vs Arizona

Jun 13, 1966

All accused criminals had to be read their 5th and 6th amendment rights before being questioned. These amendments include the right to an attorney and the right to remain silent. Now a days officers have to read the miranda rights to people they arrest, because if they dont the courts can not prosecute them.

Roe vs Wade

Jan 22, 1973

the
Supreme Court decided
that women had the right
to privacy in determining
whether or not they had an
abortion.

Bakke vs Regents of the University of California

Jun 28, 1978

Allan Bakke applied to the University of California medical school but was rejected based on his “age” despite having high academic scores. He did more research and found out that many minorities were admitted to the university with a lot lower test scores than him.