suprieme court cases Flashcards
(43 cards)
McCulloch v. Maryland (1803) QUESTION
Question: does the constitution permit congress to charter a bank
McCulloch v. Maryland (1803) RULING
Ruling: Affirms the supremacy of the constitution. Because of the necessary and proper clause, congress can use implied powers to charter a bank.
McCulloch v. Maryland (1803) FACTS
Facts:
congress established the second bank of the united states in Maryland
At the same time Maryland decided to pass a law that imposed a tax on the bank.
McCulloch decided not to pay the tax
United States v. Lopez (1995) QUESTION
Question: does the gun- free school zone act exceed the power of the commerce clause?
United States v. Lopez (1995) RULING
Ruling: the law was considered unconstitutional since having a gun in a school zone did not affect interstate commerce, which is needed in the commerce clause. It also reaffirmed the 10th amendment of states rights.
McCulloch v. Maryland importance:
supremacy of the constitution
United States v. Lopez (1995) RULING
Ruling: the law was considered unconstitutional since having a gun in a school zone did not affect interstate commerce, which is needed in the commerce clause. It also reaffirmed the 10th amendment of states rights.
United States v. Lopez EFFECT
state’s rights (10th amendment)
Engel v. Vitale (1962) QUESTION
Question: do voluntary prayers violate the establishment clause?
Engel v. Vitale (1962) RULING
Ruling: because the prayer was in a public school run by the government, it was unconstitutional because it went against the establishment clause.
Engel v. Vitale (1962) EFFECT
Upheld the 1st amendment, establishment clause
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) QUESTION
Question: does requiring students to attend school after 8th grade violate the first amendment right of freedom of religion.
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) RULING
Ruling: the requirement to send children to school beyond the 8th grade was unconstitutional.
c. Facts:
Amish parents refused to send their children to school after 8th grade because of their religion
The state required the children to go to school until they were 16
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) EFFECT
established the precedent that an individual’s right to exercise their religious beliefs under the First Amendment takes priority over the state’s interests in compulsory education.
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District (1969) QUESTION
Question: does the prohibition against wearing accessories of symbolic protest violate the free speech clause of the first amendment.
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District (1969) RULING
Ruling: in order for schools to justify the suppression of speech, the speech must substantially interfere with school operations.
c. Facts: a group of students decided to wear black armbands to protest the Vietnam war, despite warnings from an administration that they would be sent home. The students were sent home.
They claimed that this is a violation of free speech.
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District (1969) EFFECT
Supreme Court’s majority ruled that neither students nor teachers “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” The Court took the position that school officials could not prohibit only on the suspicion that the speech might disrupt the learning
New York Times v. United States (1971) QUESTION
Question: is the Nixon administration’s restraint of the publication of classified material was a violation of the freedom of the press.
New York Times v. United States (1971) RULING
Ruling: expanded the freedom of the press. They said “there is a heavy presumption against prior restraint” and they could publish it even for national security purposes.
c. Facts: The Nixon administration tried to prevent the New York Times from publishing material that belonged to a defense department.
New York Times v. United States (1971) EFFECT
In this ruling, the Court established a “heavy presumption against prior restraint,” even in cases involving national security. This means that the Court is very likely to find cases of government censorship unconstitutional.
Schenck v. United States (1919) QUESTION
Question: did the espionage act violate the first amendment, and is it appropriate how congress handled wartime authority.
Schenck v. United States (1919) RULING
Ruling: the espionage did not violate the first amendment and it was an appropriate use of wartime authority.
c. Facts: some socialists claimed that the draft violated the 13th amendment which prohibits involuntary servitude. They wanted people to not obey the draft.
Schenck v. United States (1919) IMPACT
), the Supreme Court invented the famous “clear and present danger” test to determine when a state could constitutionally limit an individual’s free speech rights under the First Amendment.
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) QUESTION
Question: does the right to counsel guaranteed in the 6th amendment also apply to felony defendants in state court?