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Dred Scott v. Sanford
In Dred Scott v. Sanford, the constitutional question was whether enslaved individuals, even if taken to free states, were considered free and had the right to sue in federal court. The Supreme Court, in a controversial decision, ruled against Dred Scott, asserting that enslaved people were property, not citizens, intensifying sectional tensions and contributing to the lead-up of the Civil War in 1857. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Does the Separate Car Act violate the Fourteenth Amendment? Congress voted against Plessy, saying that being forced to use segregated train cars was not in violation of the fourteenth amendment. -
Korematsu v. United States
In Korematsu v. United States, the constitutional question was whether the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II based on their ethnicity was constitutional. The Supreme Court, in a widely criticized decision, upheld the internment, stating that it was a wartime necessity, marking a controversial moment in 1944. -
Mapp v. Ohio
In Mapp v. Ohio, the constitutional question was whether evidence obtained through an illegal search and seizure could be used in state criminal proceedings. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Mapp, stating that the exclusionary rule applies to the states, meaning that evidence obtained unlawfully cannot be used in court. -
Engel v. Vitale
In Engel v. Vitale, the constitutional question was whether it was constitutional for public schools to require students to recite a state-written prayer. The Supreme Court, in a landmark decision, ruled against school-sponsored prayer, stating that it violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, separating church and state in public education. -
Roe v. Wade
The question for this case is: does Congress recognize a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy? The court decided in favor of Jane Roe, who wanted an abortion. They did recognize women's right to abortion. -
United States v. Nixon
The question was whether President Richard Nixon could withhold White House tapes as evidence in the Watergate scandal. The case was held in 1974. The Supreme Court ruled against Nixon, saying that the general privilege of confidentiality of presidential communications must yield to the fundamental demands of justice. -
Miranda v. Arizona
In Miranda v. Arizona, the constitutional question was whether suspects must be informed of their rights before police questioning, specifically the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Miranda, establishing the famous Miranda rights and requiring law enforcement to inform individuals of these rights before custodial interrogation. -
Lawrence v. Texas
In Lawrence v. Texas (2003), the constitutional question was whether a state law criminalizing consensual same-sex relations violated the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause. The Supreme Court decided in favor of Lawrence, stating that the intimate conduct between consenting adults is protected as a private matter, overturning previous rulings, and marking a landmark decision in 2003. -
Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission
In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the constitutional question was whether restrictions on corporate and union spending in political campaigns violated the First Amendment. The Supreme Court, in a divisive decision, ruled in favor of Citizens United, stating that such restrictions infringed on the free speech rights of these entities.