Supreme Court Cases

Question 1

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Answer 1

Article 3. Established concept of judicial review. First time congress was overturned by federal court. Court ruled in favor of Marbury.

Question 2

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Answer 2

Article 1, implied powers. Established congress’ official power to create a national bank. Maryland’s taxing of the national bank was declared unconstitutional because it interfered with the function of the fed. gov

Question 3

Dred Scot v Sandford (1857)

Answer 3

13/14 Amendment. outcome was slaves were not citizens and therefore Scott could not sue Sanford. After the 13 and 14th amendments were passed, this decision was overturned.

Question 4

Plessy v. Ferguson (1869)

Answer 4

Separate but equal doctrine. Separate car Act in Louisiana, an act enabling racial segregation, was determined constitutional under the separate but equal doctrine.

Question 5

Schneck v. U.S (1919)

Answer 5

First Amendment and Espionage act. Schneck was convicted under the espionage act for mailing printed circulars of the military draft. this didn’t violate his 1st amendment rights because free speech rights aren’t absolute. Established clear and present danger test.

Question 6

Korematsu v U.S (1944)

Answer 6

U.S won case. Court stated that Korematsu’s protective rights as a U.S citizen must be violated for the purpose of national security. Decision was overruled in 2018.

Question 7

Brown v Board of Education (1954)

Answer 7

14th amend. Overruled separate but equal doctrine. Court declared that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional.

Question 8

Mapp v Ohio (1961)

Answer 8

4th amend. Court ruled that Mapp wasn’t guilty because any evidence obtained in a violation of the 4th amend can’t be used in state or federal courts. Made the exclusionary rule applicable to states.

Question 9

Baker v Carr (1962)

Answer 9

Equal Protection Clause. Baker argued that the existing apportionment denied voters of urban areas equal voting rights. Fed courts refused to hear case under the political question doctrine. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Baker

Question 10

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Answer 10

Court decided that school sponsored prayer was unconstitutional because it violated the 1st amend

Question 11

New York Times v U.S

Answer 11

1st amend. “Pentagon Papers”. Court ruled that gov. had failed to prove harm to the national security and the publication of the papers was justified.

Question 12

Wisconsin v Yoder

Answer 12

first amend. Court exempted Amish families from Wisconsin’s law requiring children to attend school until they were 16.

Question 13

Texas v Johnson

Answer 13

Court ruled in favor of Johnson. Court decided that Johnson’s actions were a form of symbolic speech and therefore were protected by first amend.

Question 14

Shaw v. Reno

Answer 14

Equal Protection Clause. District Court dismissed lawsuit because racial gerrymandering isn’t explicitly prohibited by the Constitution. Supreme Court declared that race couldn’t be considered when redrawing congressional districts

Question 15

U.S v Lopez

Answer 15

Commerce Clause. Court ruled in Lopez’s favor. Court stated that Congress didn’t have the right to limit Lopez’s right to bear arms under the Commerce Clause. Court used this case to push back against congressional rulings

Question 16

Bush v Gore

Answer 16

Equal protection clause. Court held that the standard state methods for preforming a voting recount for the presidential election without proper reason, was unconstitutional

Question 17

D.C v Heller

Answer 17

Court declared that D.C’s ban on handguns was unconstitutional.