SCOTUS cases

Question 1

Marbury v. Madison

Answer 1

• it was the first time the supreme court struck down an act of congress as unconstitiuional
• Unanimous vote
• Added to system of checks and balances
• Judicial Review (Art. 3&4)
• the supreme court could not order the surrender of a judgeship commission to Marbury because the law that would have allowed it was unconstitutional

Question 2

McCulloch v. Maryland

Answer 2

• decided in 1819
• States can’t tax federal banks
• Reverse the Maryland Court of Appeal’s decision
• Necessary and Proper Clause (art. 1) OR Supremacy Clause (art. 6)
• Unanimous vote

Question 3

Baker v. Carr

Answer 3

• decided in 1962
• 6-2 vote
• courts could review electoral districts
• Equal protection clause (14th amend)
• Drawing lines for electoral districts is not a political matter

Question 4

Gideon v Wainwright

Answer 4

• decided in 1963
• Unanimous vote
• Gideon was charged with breaking and entering
• Right to Counsel OR Due Process (6th Amendment)
• Guaranteed right to legal counsel in federal and state courts

Question 5

Tinker v Des Moines

Answer 5

• Decided in 1966
• 7-2 decision
• Students protesting with armbands wasn’t allowed in schools
• Freedom of Speech (1st Amendment)
• Schools cannot prohibit student speech

Question 6

Wisconsin v Yoder

Answer 6

• Decided in 1972
• Unanimous vote
• State law required school past 8th grade concerned Amish families
• Freedom of Religion (1st amendment)
• Requirement contradicted Amish families’ religious beliefs

Question 7

Shaw v Reno

Answer 7

-Decided in 1993
- 5-4 decision
- Outlawed gerrymandering based on race
- Equal Protection Clause (14th amendment)
- Separating people by race is unconstitutional

Question 8

US V Lopez

Answer 8

• Decided in 1995
• 5-4 decision
• Limited the power of the commerce clause
• Commerce clause (article 1, sect. 8)
• Carrying a gun in a school zone is not an economic activity, so the commerce clause does not apply

Question 9

Citizens United v FEC

Answer 9

• Decided in 2010
• 5-4 decision
• Expanded the power that corporations, unions, and nonprofit organizations
• Freedom of Speech (1st Amend)
• Restriction on corporate and union political spending were unconstitutional