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Dred Scott v. Sanford
"Was Dred Scott free or a slave?" Dred Scott lived in a free state and became enslaved in Missouri, which was unlawful by the Missouri Compromise of 1820. He tried his case, stating that he lived in a free state, which made him a free man. The Supreme Court declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional (7-2), making Dred Scott property and not a person. -
Korematsu v. United States
"Did the President and Congress go beyond their war powers by implementing exclusion and restricting the rights of Americans of Japanese descent?" President FDR issued an Executive Order that forced Japanese-Americans into Internment Camps. Fred Korematsu refused to go into a camp and was arrested. The Supreme Court sided with the United States (6-3) because the need to protect the country from Japanese spies was more important than the individual rights of citizens. -
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
"Does the segregation of public education based solely on race violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?" African American students were not permitted to attend certain schools because of laws that allowed segregation. Lower courts said this was okay because of the ruling Plessy v. Furguson. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that "separate but equal" was inherently unequal and segregation in schools was unconstitutional by the Fourteenth Amendment. -
Gideon v. Wainwright
"Does the Sixth Amendment's right to counsel in criminal cases extend to felony defendants in state courts?" Clarence Gideon, a previously convicted felon, was wrongfully charged with breaking and entering. He appealed the case because he was not allowed an attorney and had to represent himself in court. He wrote a letter to the Supreme Court explaining how his trial was unfair and they unanimously ruled that an attorney must be provided when the defendant cannot afford one. -
Miranda v. Arizona
"Does the Fifth Amendment’s protection against self-incrimination extend to the police interrogation of a suspect?" Ernesto Miranda was arrested and questioned by Arizona Police, who did not tell him he had the right to have an attorney present. The Supreme Court ruled (5-4) that the Fifth Amendment requires law enforcement officials to advise suspects of their right to remain silent and to obtain an attorney during interrogations while in police custody. -
New York Times Co v. United States
"Did the Nixon administration's efforts to prevent the publication of classified information violate the First Amendment?" A task force agent leaked classified info about the Vietnam War to the New York Times. President Nixon said that this put national security at risk. The Supreme Court ruled (6-3) that the 1st Amendment allowed for the New York Times to publish articles about the documents because of free press. -
Roe v. Wade
"Does the Constitution recognize a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy by abortion?" Jane Roe filed a lawsuit against Henry Wade, challenging a Texas law that made abortion illegal except by a doctor’s order to save a woman’s life. Roe argued that the right to abortion fit into the category of the right to privacy that was established by the 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Roe (7-2) making it illegal for states to regulate abortions in pregnancies in the first trimester. -
United States v. Nixon
"Is the President's right to safeguard certain information, using his "executive privilege" confidentiality power, entirely immune from judicial review?" President Nixon was withholding audio recordings and tapes from the Oval Office during the Watergate scandal. He claimed it was his right to not give up certain information because of his executive privilege. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that certain matters were not subject to executive privilege and he had to produce the tapes/audios. -
Texas v. Johnson
"Is the desecration of an American flag, by burning or otherwise, a form of speech that is protected under the First Amendment?" In protest against Reagan administration policies, Gregory Johnson burned an American flag. He was arrested for vandalizing a respected object. He appealed the case, saying he was exercising his right to free speech. The Supreme Court ruled in Johnson's favor (5-4) and said they did not necessarily like the decision but they felt it was the right one. -
District of Columbia v. Heller
"Do the provisions of the D.C. Code that restrict the keeping of functional firearms in homes of citizens violate the Second Amendment?" A Washington D.C. law made it illegal for people to keep functional firearms in their homes. A group of citizens banded together to fight this law, arguing it's against the 2nd Amendment. The Supreme Court decided (5-4) that the law was unconstitutional and all citizens are allowed to have guns in their homes in case they need to defend themselves.