Cases

Question 1

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Facts

Answer 1

• A registered Republican challenged Tennessee’s congressional district boundaries; they were very unequal due to gerrymandering
• Tennessee argued that drawing congressional boundaries should be up to the states
• SC disagreed and required TN to redraw congressional boundaries so that each district had roughly the same number of people

Question of law: Do federal courts have the power to decide constitutional questions about state legislative boundaries?

Question 2

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Constitutional provision(s)

clause(s), amendment(s), or article(s) of the case

Answer 2

Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment

Question 3

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Holding

Answer 3

Federal courts have the power to decide constitutional questions about state legislative boundaries

Question 4

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Significance

Answer 4

Creates a precedent for all future legislative redistricting challenges: one-person, one-vote rule of equal representation.

Question 5

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Facts

Answer 5

• The national government established a charter bank in Maryland
• Maryland didn’t like this, so it tried to heavily tax the bank
• The bank refused to pay, so Maryland arrested its clerk James McCulloch
• The SC decided that Maryland didn’t have the power to tax the bank and that Congress had the power to establish the bank

Question of law: Does Congress have the power to create a naitonal bank? If so, can Maryland tax the national bank in its borders?

Question 6

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Constitutional provision(s)

clause(s), amendment(s), or article(s) of the case

Answer 6

Necessary + Proper clause and the Supremacy clause

Question 7

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Holding

Answer 7

1) Congress does have the power to establish the bank
2) Maryland cannot tax the national bank

Question 8

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Significance

Answer 8

Recognizes implied powers despite the 10th amendment (reserved powers).

Question 9

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Facts

Answer 9

• Congress passed the Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA) which outlawed the possession of guns within 1,000 ft of a school
• Lopez was caught carrying a gun in his Texas high school
• He was charged in state & federal courts
• The SC decreed that Congress didn’t have the power to pass the GFSZA because gun possession near schools doesn’t affect commerce

Question of law: Did Congress have the power to pass the GFSZA?

Question 10

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Constitutional provision(s)

clause(s), amendment(s), or article(s) of the case

Answer 10

Commerce clause

Question 11

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Holding

Answer 11

Carrying a gun near a school zone isn’t an economic activity.
Under the Commerce clause, Congress can only regulate:
* Channels of interstate commerce
* People/things moving or carrying out commerce
* Activities that have a substantial effect on commerce, which is the most important test.

The GFSZA is beyond Congress’ power because there’s no evidence that possessing a gun near school affects the national gun market.

Question 12

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Significance

Answer 12

Symbolizes new federalism limits on commerce

New federalism is a type of federalism where more power is given to the states at the expense of federal power.

Question 13

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Facts

Answer 13

Five white voters challenged a North Carolina reapportionment plan designed to produce majority-minority districts because it made oddly shaped districts to such a degree that some parts were only as wide as a highway.

Question of law: Is race-conscious districting constiutionally allowed?

Question 14

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Constitutional provision(s)

clause(s), amendment(s), or article(s) of the case

Answer 14

Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment

Question 15

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Holding

Answer 15

Race-conscious districting must satisfy strict scrutiny

Question 16

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Significance

Answer 16

Leads to less majority-minority districts and fewer minority representatives

Question 17

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Facts

Answer 17

• The Federalist Party lost the election of 1800. But, before leaving office, President John Adams nominated many Federalists to be judges–so many that the Secretary of State, John Marshal, didn’t have enough time to deliver all their commissions.
• The new president Thomas Jefferson decided not to deliver them either because he didn’t want judges of the other party.
• One of the confirmed judges sued and asked the SC to order (by writ of mandamus) Jefferson’s Secretary of State to deliver the commissions.
• The 1789 Judiciary Act authorized the SC to issue such orders

Question of law: Does the SC have the power to issue mandamus?

Question 18

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Holding

Answer 18

The SC doesn’t have the power to issue a writ of mandamus; the enumeration of cases where the SC has original jurisdiction is exhaustive–it doesn’t include mandamus

Question 19

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Significance

Answer 19

First example of judicial review & makes SC more equal in power with other branches of government.

Question 20

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Facts

Answer 20

• In the 1950s, New York schools encouraged teachers to lead students in a non-denominational prayer each morning.
• A group of parents, including Steven Engel, challenged this school prayer as a violation of the establishment clause of the First Amendment.

Question of law: Does voluntary, school-organized recitation of a daily prayer violate the Establishment Clause?

Question 21

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Holding