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United States Government Supreme Court Case Cheat
Sheet
Classic Marshall Court
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
It formed the basis for the power of judicial review in the under
Article 3 of the Constitution.
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
A conflict arose between a state government and the Federal
government, with the state government being declared subordinate to the Federal
government where laws conflict. Upheld the Supremacy Clause (A6, S2)
First Amendment (Establishment Clause)
Engel v. Vitale (1962) School
--‐
sanctioned prayer in public schools violates the
First Amendment.
Abington School District v. Schempp (1963)
Struck down a Pennsylvania law requiring
reading of Bible passage at the beginning of each day.
Board of Education of Westside Community School v. Mergens (1990)
Upheld Equal
Access Act of 1984, which requires high schools to allow religious groups the same access to
other extracurricular groups.
First Amendment (Free Exercise Clause)
Reynolds v. US (1879)
Upheld a law prohibiting polygamy. Distinguished between beliefs
that are protected and those that may be restricted. Ruled that religious practices cannot
make an act legal that would otherwise be illegal.
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
Wisconsin could not require Amish kids to attend public school
beyond 8
th
grade since it went against their religion.
First Amendment (Free Speech)
Schenck v. United States (1919)
Ruled that draft protesting could be suppressed during
wartime, as it created a “clear and present danger.”
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Students wearing black armbands in protest of the Vietnam
War was symbolic speech protected under the First Amendment.
First Amendment (Free Assembly)
NAACP v. Alabama (1958)
Freedom of association (the right to assemble in groups) was
protected here.
Fourth Amendment (Search and Seizure)
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Evidence found without a search warrant (hence, illegally) had to be
thrown out in a court of law.
Fourth and Ninth Amendments (Privacy)
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
Struck down a law preventing the use of contraceptives,
thus protecting the right to privacy.
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Ruled that it is a woman’s constitutional right to privacy to determine
whether to terminate a pregnancy.
Sixth Amendment (Right to an Attorney)
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Those who cannot afford an attorney will have one provided
by the state.
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Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)
Criminal suspects have the right to an attorney during police
interrogations.
Fourteenth Amendment (Due Process Clause)
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Suspects must be informed of their right to remain silent and
their right to an attorney when under police custody.
Fourteenth Amendment (Equal Protection Clause
-
Civil Rights, Women’s Rights,
Minority Rights, and Homosexual Rights)
Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
Held that people of African descent were not legal persons and
could not be United States citizens.
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation, even in public
accommodations, under the doctrine of “separate but equal.”
Korematsu v. United States (1944)
Upheld that Japanese internment was constitutional.
Only Supreme Court case in which the Court, using a strict test for possible racial
discrimination, upheld a restriction on civil liberties. The case has since been severely
criticized for sanctioning racism.
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Ruled that “separate educational facilities were
inherently unequal.” Desegregated schools.
Regents of the University of California at Davis v. Bakke (1978)
Barred quota systems in
college admissions (ruled the system had denied Bakke equal protection), but upheld the
constitutionality of affirmative action by giving equal access to minorities in the competition
for available spaces.
United States v. Virginia (1996)
Court struck down the Virginia Military Institute’s long
standing male
--‐
only admission policy.
Miscellaneous Cases
United States v. Nixon (1974)
The President's "Executive Privilege" was limited by this case
Wabash v. Illinois (1886)
Severely limited the rights of states to control interstate
commerce. Led the creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
THE FOLLOWING ARE LANDMARK SUPREME COURT CASES THAT SHOULD BE STUDIED IN GREATER DETAIL DUE TO
THEIR REPEATED EMPHASIS IN THE AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT EXAMS OVER THE YEARS:
MARBURY V. MADISON (JUDICIAL REVIEW)
MCCULLOCH V. MARYLAND (NATIONAL SUPREMACY)
DRED SCOTT V. SANFORD (CITIZENSHIP)
PLESSY V. FERGUSON (SEPARATE BUT EQUAL)
KOREMATSU V. UNITED STATES (WARTIME POWERS)
BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION (DESEGREGATION)
MAPP V. OHIO (SEARCH WARRANTS)
M
IRANDA
V
. A
RIZONA
(S
ELF
--
I
NCRIMINATION
)
ROE V. WADE (RIGHT TO PRIVACY)
