Judicial Review and Landmark Cases

Judicial Review

• Marbury v. Madison established the power of judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional.

Landmark Supreme Court Cases

• Marbury v. Madison: Established judicial review.
  • John Adams appointed William Marbury as a judge; Thomas Jefferson refused to deliver Marbury's commission.
  • Chief Justice John Marshall ruled in favor of Jefferson, declaring the law authorizing Marbury's appointment unconstitutional.
• Plessy v. Ferguson: Established the "separate but equal" doctrine, permitting segregation in public facilities.
  • Homer Plessy, partly of African descent, was arrested for sitting in a white train car.
  • The Supreme Court ruled segregation legal if facilities were supposedly equal.
• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas: Overturned "separate but equal," making segregation in public schools illegal.
  • Linda Brown was denied entry to an all-white school.
  • The Supreme Court declared school segregation unconstitutional.
• In re Gault: Juvenile delinquents are entitled to due process, including legal counsel, confrontation of witnesses, and the right to remain silent.
  • Gerald Gault was sentenced to six years' detention for an obscene phone call, without legal representation.
  • The Supreme Court found the state's actions violated his due process rights.
• Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District: Students have free speech rights, limited by disruption to the learning environment.
  • Students wore armbands to protest the Vietnam War and were suspended.
  • The Supreme Court affirmed students' rights, stating they don't "shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate."
• Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier: School officials can censor student publications with legitimate educational concerns.
  • Students challenged censorship of a school newspaper.
  • The Supreme Court upheld the school's right to censor.
• Gideon v. Wainwright: The Sixth Amendment right to counsel applies to all criminal cases in state courts.
  • Clarence Gideon, accused of breaking and entering, was denied legal representation in Florida.
  • The Supreme Court ruled state courts must appoint lawyers for indigent defendants.
• Miranda v. Arizona: Police must inform suspects of their rights to remain silent and to have an attorney.
  • Ernesto Miranda was accused of a serious crime but was not informed of his Fifth Amendment rights.
  • The Supreme Court established the "Miranda warning" requirement.
• United States v. Nixon: Presidential claims of executive privilege do not override the rule of law.
  • President Nixon refused to release tapes related to the Watergate scandal.
  • The Supreme Court compelled the release of the tapes.
• Bush v. Gore: Resolved a 2000 presidential election dispute regarding Florida vote recounts; the dispute centred on disputed ballots.
  • The Supreme Court ruled the Florida recount unconstitutional, ultimately awarding the presidency to George W. Bush.

First Amendment Rights

• The First Amendment protects free speech and the press.
  • Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District: Students' free speech rights are limited by the need to avoid disruption of the educational environment.
  • Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier: School officials can censor student publications for legitimate educational reasons.

Due Process Rights

• The Fourteenth Amendment ensures equal protection under the law.
  • Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process clause guarantees accused individuals have the right to a fair trial.
  • Plessy v. Ferguson: The "separate but equal" doctrine (overturned by Brown v. Board of Education).
  • Brown v. Board of Education: Public school segregation is unconstitutional.
  • In re Gault: Juvenile delinquents have due process rights.
  • Gideon v. Wainwright: The right to an attorney applies in all criminal cases, including state courts.
• The Fifth and Sixth Amendments guarantee due process rights.
  • Miranda v. Arizona: Police must inform suspects of their rights.

The Rule of Law

• The rule of law dictates that everyone, including the president, must abide by the Constitution.
  • United States v. Nixon: The Supreme Court affirmed that the president is not above the law.

Explore the pivotal Supreme Court cases that shaped judicial review in the United States. This quiz covers landmark decisions, including Marbury v. Madison, Plessy v. Ferguson, and Brown v. Board of Education. Test your knowledge on how these cases influenced constitutional law and civil rights.