AP Government: List of Important Cases
Baker v. Carr (1962) Guaranty Clause does
not prevent courts from having the right to determine whether state legislative
apportionment violates citizens' 14th A. rights
Barron v. Baltimore (1883) Bill of Rights does
not apply to the states [note the date of the case]
Bob Jones University v. US (1983) the Government's
fundamental, overriding interest in eradicating racial discrimination in
education substantially outweighs whatever burden denial of tax benefits places
on the exercise of religious beliefs (the university was denied tax-exempt
status because it discriminates racially)
Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969) speech that does not
call for illegal action is protected, and even speech that does call for
illegal action is protected if the action is not "imminent" or there
is reason to believe that the listeners will not take action
Brown v. Board of Education (1954, 1955) Overturned
Plessy case. Racially segregated public
facilities are unconstitutional
Buckley v. Valeo (1976) Upheld FECA's
limitations placed on campaign contributions but protected independent
political expenditures as free speech.
Clinton v. City of New York (1998) Line Item veto
declared unconstitutional on the grounds that it gave legislative powers to the
president.
Engle v. Vitale (1962) prayer in public
schools prohibited by First Amendment (which was made applicable to the states
under the 14th A.)
Escovedo v. Illinois (1964) Exclusionary rule case. Courts can't use evidence obtained from a
suspect who has been denied opportunity to consult with counsel and has not
been warned of his constitutional right to keep silent, because his 5th, 6th,
and 14th A. rights have been violated
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) Steamboats on the
Hudson River. The Constitution give the Federal Government power to regulate
commerce. Opened door to the use of the
commerce clause to control states.
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) The state's refusal
to appoint counsel for an indigent accused of non-capital felony violated due
process clause .
Gitlow v. New York (1925) Supreme Court held
that freedom of speech and of the press were among the "fundamental
personal rights" protected by the due-process clause of the 14th A. from
infringements by state (as well as federal) action. This case allowed the incorporation of the
Bill of Rights to apply to State governments as well as the national
government.
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) a Connecticut
statute forbidding use of contraceptives violates the right of marital privacy
which is within the penumbra of specific guarantees of the Bill of Rights
Halzewood School District v.
Kuhlmeier
(1988) Freedom of the press is different for students. Principles can censor
school newspapers.
Heart of Atlanta Motel v. US (1964) Congress has the
right the prohibit racial discrimination in places of public accommodation
through the Commerce Clause because the interstate movement of people is
"commerce." Even if the public accommodation is of a purely
"local" character, Congress' power to regulate interstate commerce
extends to local incidents thereof which might have a substantial and harmful
effect on that commerce
Lau v. Nichols (1974) the failure of San
Francisco schools to provide English-language instruction to approximately
1,800 students of Chinese ancestry who do not speak English, or to provide them
with other adequate instructional procedures, denies them a meaningful
opportunity to participate in the public education program, and thus violates
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the 14th A.
Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) Concerns aid to
sectarian schools; Lemon test created to interpret the establishment clause.
Mapp v. Ohio (1961) Began exclusionary rule. Courts cannot use evidence attained by police
illegally.
Marbury v. Madison (1803) established the
"very essence of judicial duty" is deciding what laws conform to the
Constitution -- ("Judicial Review")
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) U.S. Constitution is
"the supreme law of the land." This case began the process of
expanding the power of the federal government through the necessary and proper
clause. (Implied powers; since Congress
has the power to tax and spend, the creation of a nation bank is implied
(necessary and proper) to that end.)
Miranda v. Arizona (1966) criminal suspect's
rights include being informed of rights to counsel and to remain silent
Miller v. California (1973) A first amendment
case. The Court defined obscenity. To be obscene, the work, taken as a whole,
must be judged by "the average person applying contemporary community
standards" to appeal to the "prurient interest" or to depict "in
a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by applicable
state law" and to lack "serious literary, artistic, political, or
scientific value."
Miller v. Johnson (1995) States cannot draw
congressional districts in which race is the primary consideration.
Near v. Minnesota (1931) Court would not
allow prior restraint on the press
New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) A state cannot,
under the 1st and 14th Amendments, award [libel] damages to a public official
for defamatory falsehood relating to his official conduct unless he proves
"actual malice" - that the statement was made with knowledge of its
falsity or with reckless disregard of whether it was true or false
New York Times Co. v. US (1971) "Pentagon
Papers" case decided Nixon's attempted "prior restraint" was
unconstitutional interference w/ press freedom.
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) upheld racial
discrimination: "separate but equal"
Roe v. Wade (1973) Certain state
criminal abortion laws involve the Due Process clause of the 14th Amendment,
which protects against state action the (impied) right to privacy in the Bill
of Rights.
Roth v. US (1957) obscene material is
not protected by the 1st Amendment
San Antonio Independent
School District v. Rodriguez (1972) Education is not within the limited category
of rights recognized by the Supreme Court as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Shaw v. Reno (1993) North Carolina
congressional district 12 was an unacceptable form of racial
gerrymandering. This ruling was better
defined in Miller v. Johnson.
Schenck v. US (1919) The Supreme Court
(in a unanimous opinion by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes) announced the
"clear-and-present-danger test": whether the words used as used in
such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present
danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a
right to prevent (famous comment that the Constitution would not protect a
person who falsely shouts fire in a theatre and starts a panic)
Texas v. Johnson (1989) Flag burning case.
State statutes against flag desecration are unconstitutional limits on freedom
of speech. Symbolic speech is protected by the constitution.
Tinker v. Des Moines
Community School District (1969) Freedom of speech held to include students wearing black
armbands at school to protest the Vietnam War.
US v. Nixon (1974) Limited executive
privilege. Nixon had to turn over
personal tapes relating to Watergate case. The president's confidentiality was
subordinate to due process of law and the administration of criminal
justice.