US Supreme Court Landmark Cases Study Guide

Judicial Review and Federal Power

Marbury v. Madison (1803): Established the power of judicial review, allowing the Court to determine the constitutionality of laws.
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): Defined the boundaries of the Necessary and Proper Clause, asserting that Maryland's tax on the Bank of the United States was unconstitutional.
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): Defined the boundaries of the Commerce Clause, asserting that only the national government could regulate interstate commerce.

Civil Rights and Slavery

Scott v. Sanford (1857): Denied legal standing to slaves and former slaves, ruling that they could not sue in federal court.
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): Upheld laws allowing racial segregation, establishing the doctrine of "separate but equal."
Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Overturned laws allowing racial segregation, asserting that "separate is inherently unequal."

Freedom of Speech and Press

Gitlow v. New York (1925): Established that the First Amendment's protection of free speech extended to state law, but upheld Gitlow's conviction for advocating anarchy.
Near v. Minnesota (1931): Established that the First Amendment's protection of free press extended to state law, ruling that prior restraint on publication was unconstitutional.
Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940): Established that the First Amendment's guarantee of the free exercise of religion extended to state law, protecting the right of Jehovah's Witnesses to go door-to-door.

Establishment of Religion

Everson v. Board of Education (1947): Established that the First Amendment's protection against the establishment of religion extended to state law, upholding a statute allowing states to reimburse parents for private, religious school tuition.
Yoder v. Wisconsin (1972): Held that compulsory education beyond 8th grade violated the rights of Amish families and their free exercise of religion.
Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002): Held that Ohio's school voucher program, including private religious schools, did not violate the Establishment Clause.

Other Key Cases

Schenck v. U.S. (1919): Concluded that speech representing a "clear and present danger" is not protected by the First Amendment.
Korematsu v. United States (1944): Supported the internment of Japanese-American citizens during World War II.
Tinker v. Des Moines (1965): Concluded that the wearing of black armbands to protest the war in Vietnam was protected by the First Amendment.
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988): Established that principals could censor the content of high school student newspapers as long as their actions were "reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns."

Other Rights and Liberties

New York Times v. Sullivan (1964): Established that public officials could not sue for libel unless they could show "actual malice" or reckless disregard of the truth.
Miller v. California (1973): Defined obscenity as lacking "serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value."
Mapp v. Ohio (1961): Held that unlawfully obtained evidence could not be used against the accused in court, establishing the "exclusionary rule."
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963): Established that defendants have the right to an attorney at trial, applying the Bill of Rights Sixth Amendment guarantee to the states.
Miranda v. Arizona (1966): Established that suspects must be informed of their right to remain silent, applying the Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination to the states.
McDonald v. Chicago (2010): Established that the right to "keep and bear arms" applies to states as well as the federal government.
Roe v. Wade (1973): Established a woman's right to an abortion.
Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992): Enabled states to regulate a woman's access to an abortion.
Buckley v. Valeo (1976): Declared that limits on election spending were unconstitutional.
Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010): Held that independent campaign expenditures by corporations were protected by the First Amendment.
Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014): Held that "closely held" corporations were not required to cover contraceptives for female employees.
Loving v. Virginia (1967): Held that laws banning interracial marriage were unconstitutional.
Cruzan v. Director (1990): Held that the "clear and convincing evidence" standard applied to the right to die, allowing the family to decide when to remove a patient from feeding tubes and breathing machines.
Lawrence v. Texas (2003): Held that laws banning same-sex sexual activity were unconstitutional.
Obergefell v. Hodges (2015): Held that gay marriage was protected by the U.S. Constitution.

Executive Power

Youngstown Sheet and Tube v. Sawyer (1952): Limited the President's power to seize private property, arguing that the President's power as Commander in Chief was not so broad as to include labor disputes in times of war.
U.S. v. Curtiss-Wright (1936): Upheld the President's ability to impose an embargo on arms sales, recognizing that the President has broad authority in foreign affairs.
Nixon v. Fitzgerald (1982): Held that the President is absolutely immune from civil damages caused by official acts, but not immune from criminal charges.
Clinton v. Jones (1997): Held that the President is not immune from civil damages caused by unofficial acts, allowing Jones to sue President Clinton for actions allegedly taken during his time as Governor of Arkansas.