AP Government Court Cases Flashcards

Landmark Supreme Court Cases

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Overturned "Separate but Equal" doctrine, declaring segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

• Gideon v. Wainwright (1963): Established the right to free legal counsel for defendants who cannot afford an attorney in felony trials.

• Griswold v. Connecticut (1965): Recognized an implicit right to privacy in the Constitution, particularly concerning marital relations and contraception.

• Marbury v. Madison (1803): Established the foundation of judicial review, allowing courts to invalidate laws conflicting with the Constitution.

• Miranda v. Arizona (1966): Affirmed that individuals in police custody must be informed of their rights to remain silent and consult an attorney.

• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): Upheld racial segregation under "Separate but Equal" doctrine, a decision later overturned by Brown v. Board.

• Schenck v. United States (1919): Introduced the "clear and present danger" test for limiting free speech, particularly in wartime.

• Roe v. Wade (1973): Decriminalized abortion, asserting a woman’s right to choose based on privacy rights.

• Craig v. Boren (1976): Set a precedent that gender classifications must have a significant government objective, shifting the standard to intermediate scrutiny.

• Miller v. California (1973): Defined obscenity and established the LAPS test (Literary, Artistic, Political, or Scientific value) for determining what constitutes as obscene material.

• Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971): Created the Lemon Test to evaluate government involvement with religion, ensuring it neither advances nor inhibits religion.

• Fletcher v. Peck (1810): Reinforced the sanctity of contracts, stemming from land disputes in Georgia.

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): Asserted federal supremacy by ruling that states cannot tax the federal government, supporting the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States.

• Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819): Upheld the protection of corporate charters under the contract clause, stopping New Hampshire from altering the college's charter.

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): Clarified the scope of the commerce clause, reinforcing Congressional authority over interstate commerce.

• Korematsu v. United States (1944): Upheld the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII as a wartime necessity, a decision heavily criticized post-war.

• Escobedo v. Illinois (1964): Confirmed the right to legal counsel during police questioning, enhancing protections for defendants.

• U.S. v. Nixon (1974): Limited executive privilege, ruling that the president is not above the law, particularly in the context of judicial processes.

• Bakke v. Regents of the University of California (1978): Split ruling on affirmative action; upheld race as one factor in admissions but criticized rigid quotas.

• Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969): Protected inflammatory speech, asserting that advocacy of violence is permissible unless it incites imminent lawless action.

• Duncan v. Louisiana (1968): Affirmed the right to a jury trial when faced with potential imprisonment of six months or more.

• Gitlow v. New York (1925): Applied the First Amendment's free speech protections to the states through the 14th Amendment; established the precedent for federalizing the Bill of Rights.

• Palko v. Connecticut (1937): Determined which parts of the Bill of Rights are essential for liberty, serving as a standard for incorporation.

• Mapp v. Ohio (1961): Established the exclusionary rule, preventing the use of illegally obtained evidence in court.

• Engel v. Vitale (1962): Prohibited state-sponsored prayer in public schools, citing the establishment clause of the First Amendment.