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Marbury v. Madison
James Madison was ordered by President Thomas Jefferson not to deliver commissioning documents to William Marbury. Marbury then sued Madison, asking the Surpreme Court to issue a writ requiring Madiosn to deliver the documents. The Court ruled in favor of Madison. Without this case the courts wouldn't have enforcement power. -
McCullouch v. Maryland
Mayland passed a law that forced all banks created outside of the state to pay a yearly tax. James McCullouch refused to pay. The state of Maryland sued McCullouch. The Surpreme Court ruled against the State of Mayland. This case allowed Congress to have the authority to make or pass "all laws which shall be necessary and proper". -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave. He moved to Illinois, a free, non-slave state. He and his owner moved around a lot. When his owner died, Scott sued the widow, claiming he was no longer a slave since he was living in a free state. The Surpreme Court ruled for Sandford. This case led to the Missouri Compromise, which became one of the events that resulted in the Civil War. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Homer Plessy was one-eighth black, and violated the Separate Car Act by sitting in the railroad car labeled for "Whites only". He was arrested and argued that the Act violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments. The Surpreme Court ruled against Plessy. This case challenged "spearate but equal" and extended it to cover many areas of public life. Segregation became legal. -
Korematsu v. U.S.
Pearl Harbor was bombed in December 1941, and the military was afraid of a Japanese attack on the U.S. mainland. The president signed an order to force Japanese Americans into internment camps. Fred Korematsu relocated and pretended to be Mexican-American. He was later arrested and convicted for violating an executive order. Korematsu challenged his conviction. The Surpreme Court ruled for the U.S. This case made the exlcusion order okay. -
Brown v. Board of Ed Topeka, KS
Linda Brown and her sister had to walk through a dangerous railroad switchyard to get to their bus stop for the ride to their all-black elementary school each day. An all-white school was closer. The Brown family believed the segregated school system violated the Fourteenth Amendement. The Court's decision was unanimous. Because of this case, schools were made to intergrate. -
Mapp v. Ohio
Police were suspicious Dollree Mapp might be hiding a person suspected in a bombing in her home. Mapp refused to let the officers enter because they did not have a warrant. The police later came back and forced their way inside. During the search, the police found pornographic materials, and Mapp was arrested and charged with violating an Ohio law against possession of obscene materials. The court ruled in favor of Mapp. This case starts the enforcement of the exclusionary rule. -
Gideon v. Wainwright
Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested for the burglary at the Bay Harbor Pool Room. Gideon could not afford a lawyer, and the judge denied Gideon's request for an attorney to be appionted to him. He was left to represent himself, did a poor job, and was found guilty of breaking and entering and petty larceny. In prison, he handwrote a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court ruled in Gideon's favor. This case makes sure everyone has "the Assistance of Counsel for his defense." -
Miranda v. Arizona
Ernesto Miranda was arrested after a crime victim identified him. When questioning Miranda, the police did not inform him of his Fifth or Sixth Amendment rights. He confessed to the crime, and his attorney later argued that his confession should have been excluded from trail. The Surpreme Court ruled in favor of Miranda. The case makes it clear that prior to any questioning, the person must be warned of their MIranda rights, or anything the accused says cannot be used. -
Tinker v. Des Moines
Mary Beth Tinker, her brother John Tinker, and a friend wore black armbands to school to protest against the Vietnam War. When asked to take off the armbands the kids refused and got suspended. The Surpreme Court ruled for Tinker. This case set the decision that student expression is allowed in schools and could not be punished or stopped, unless the school officials could prove that the speech causes a disruption. -
Roe v. Wade
Jane Roe was unmarried and pregnant. Texas laws made it a felony to abort a fetus unless it was to save the mother's life. Roe filed a suit against Wade (the district attorney of Dallas County) saying that anti-abortion laws goes against women's First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments. The Surpreme Court ruled in favor of Roe. This case legalized abortions, and said that you can only terminate a pregancy within the first trimester. -
NJ v. T.L.O
T.L.O denied smoking in the bathroom. The assistant principal then searched her purse and found the pack of cigarettes. He removed the cigarettes and noticed rolling paper so proceeded with the search and found marijuana and other things he belived related with drug dealing. T.L.O said the search was unlawful and violated her Fourth Amendment. The Surpreme Court ruled against T.L.O. School officials don't need a warrant before searching a student and are allowed to based on reasonable suspicion. -
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
Hazelwood East High School principal reviewed the the school's student newspaper, the Spectrum. He decided to pull certain pages because of two inappropriate articles to meet the deadline, instead of talking with the students. The students felt the censorship was a violation of their First Amendment rights. The Surpreme Court ruled for Hazelwood. This case made it so officials could censor school-sponsored activities. -
Texas v. Johnson
Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag in protest of the policies of the Regan Administration. No one was hurt or threatened with injury during the action, but Johson was fined and convicted with desecration of a vernerated object. The Surpreme Court ruled favorably of Johson. This case makes our First Amendment rights for freedom of symbolic speech legal, as long as the conduct does not threaten to disturb the peace.
