Chief Justice: Plessy v. Ferguson
Melville Fuller
Year: Plessy v. Ferguson
1896
“Separate but equal”
“Constitution is color-blind”
Overturned by Brown vs The Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
Plessy v. Ferguson
Chief Justice: Marbury v. Madison
John Marshall
Year: Marbury v. Madison
1803
Case was dropped due to lack of jurisdiction. Judiciary Act of 1789 was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court giving it power to repeal legislation.
Marbury v. Madison
Chief Justice: Roe v. Wade
Warren Burger
Year: Roe v. Wade
1973
“Person” in the Constitution does not include the unborn.
State anti-abortion laws were removed as too vague.
Norma McCorvey, rape victim wanted an abortion.
Roe v. Wade
Chief Justice: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
Earl Warren
Year: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
1954
Overturned “separate but equal”
Brown v. The Board of Education
Chief Justice: McCulloch v. Maryland
John Marshall
Year: McCulloch v. Maryland
1819
States could not tax federal banks since “the power to tax was the power to destroy.”
McColluch v. Maryland
Chief Justice: Baker v. Carr
Earl Warren
Year: Baker v. Carr
1962
“One man, one vote.”
Corrupt Tennessee election systems.
Baker v. Carr
Chief Justice: Gideon v. Wainwright
Earl Warren
Year: Gideon v. Wainwright
1963
Breaking into a pool hall, not provided with an attorney.
Gideon v. Wainwright
Chief Justice: Hammer v. Dagenhart
Edward Douglas White
Year: Hammer v. Dagenhart
1918
Keating-Own Act,
Federal Government cannot regulate child labor.
Hammer v. Dagenhart
Chief Justice: Fletcher v. Peck
John Marshall
Year: Fletcher v. Peck
1810
Corrupt Georgian sale of land along the Yazoo river.
State legislature cannot repeal sales of property.
Fletcher v. Peck
Chief Justice: Ex Parte Merryman
Roger Taney
Year: Ex Parte Merryman
1861
Case only heard by Chief Justice Roger Taney, ruled that President Lincoln had unconstitutionally repealed the right of haebus corpus. Lincoln ignored this.
Ex Parte Merryman
