Important Supreme Court Cases NAME OF CASE Marbury v. Madison (1803) MAJOR ISSUE Judicial review COURT’S RULING Court has the right to annul a law of Congress ­ strengthened the judiciary in relation to other branches of government McCulloch v Maryland (1819) Federal supremacy Accepted broad “implied” powers of Congress and principle of national supremacy. (Elastic Clause) Gibbons v Ogden (1824) Interstate commerce Enlarged rights of Congress to control interstate commerce ­reinforced supremacy of national law over state law Dred Scott v Sanford (1857) Due process
Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific RR ·
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Interstate commerce
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Anti­trust laws
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Slaves were not citizens & could not sue in court
Slaves were property­people couldn’t be denied property without due process
Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional States had no power to fix rates on shipments passing beyond their borders v Illinois (1886) United States v E.C. Knight Co. (1895) The Sherman Anti­Trust Act does not apply to manufacturers located within a single state
Plessy v Ferguson (1896) Equal protection under the law Schenck v United States (1919) Freedom of Speech
Separate but Equal facilities were legal ·
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Civil liberties can be limited during wartime
Free speech not absolute if there’s a “clear and present danger” Korematsu v United States (1944) Equal protection under the law Brown v Board of Education (1954) Detention of Japanese­Americans legal because of threat to national security ·
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Mapp v Ohio (1961) Equal protection under the law
Rights of the accused/search and seizure Baker v Carr (1962) Electoral districts
Engel v Vitale (1962) Freedom of religion/separation of church & state Overturned Plessy v Ferguson
Separate but equal unconstitutional Police evidence obtained in illegal searches not admissible in court of law ·
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“one man, one vote” principle
equal representation in voting districts Prohibits prayer in public schools
Gideon v Wainwright (1963) Rights of the accused States must provide counsel for poor defendants Miranda v Arizona (1966) Rights of the accused Requires police to advise suspects of rights Tinker v Des Moines (1969) Right to free speech/Student rights Wearing of black armbands by students is an expression of free speech; students allowed free speech unless it is disruptive New York Times Co. v United Freedom of press
States (1971) ·
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Free press important to keep people informed of government actions
Will not allow prior restraint Roe v Wade (1973) Right to life/right to privacy Upholds a woman’s right to have an abortion United States v Nixon (1974) Separation of Powers President is not above the law­Nixon had to turn over tapes ­gave the Courts the right to decide on the right to confidentiality and the right to surrender evidence. New Jersey v TLO (1985) Right to privacy/student rights School administrators may search students without a warrant if they have reasonable cause Vernonia School District v Acton Search and seizure/student rights School officials may test athletes for drug use if they have reasonable grounds for suspicion
(1995)