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Marbury v. Madison
The question at hand was that President John Adams had issued William Marbury a commission as a justice, but the new Secretary of State, James Madison, refused to deliver it and if this was constitutional or not. It was decided that Marbury was entitled to his job, declaring such a thing unconstitutional and set up the process known as Judicial Review. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
There were two questions pertaining this court; Does the Constitution give Congress power to create a bank? And could individual states ban or tax the bank? It was decided that the Federal Government had the right and power to set up a Federal bank and that states did not have the power to tax the Federal Government -
Plessy v. Ferguson
This questioned if separate but equal accommodations for Black and White Americans violated the 14th Amendment. It was ruled that Louisiana state law allowed for "equal but separate accommodations for the white and colored races." -
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
The question that was being asked was whether racial segregation in public schools violated the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. It was then ruled that separating children in public schools on the basis of race was unconstitutional. It signaled the end of legalized racial segregation in the schools of the United States, overruling the "separate but equal" principle set forth in the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case. -
Miranda v. Arizona
It was asked whether statements obtained from an individual who is subjected to police interrogation are admissible against him in a criminal trial. And whether procedures which assure that the individual is accorded his privilege under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution not to be compelled to incriminate himself. It was ruled that an arrested individual is entitled to rights against self-incrimination and to an attorney under the 5th and 6th Amendments of the United States Constitution. -
Brandenburg v. Ohio
The question was whether Ohio's criminal syndicalism law, prohibiting public speech that advocates various illegal activities, violate Brandenburg's right to free speech as protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments? The Supreme Court held that the Ohio law violated Brandenburg's right to free speech. The court found that the Ohio Criminal Syndicalism Statute ignored whether or not the advocacy it criminalized actually led to imminent lawless action. -
Texas v. Johnson
The question was; is flag burning protected as symbolic speech by the First Amendment? The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision in favor of Johnson. The high court agreed that symbolic speech – no matter how offensive to some – is protected under the First Amendment. -
Bush v. Gore
Gore had argued for a new recount that would pass constitutional muster and Bush was against it. The Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore was among the most controversial in U.S. history, as it allowed the vote certification made by Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris to stand, giving Bush Florida's 25 electoral votes. -
Lawrence v. Texas
The question was whether the validity of a Texas statute making it a crime for two persons of the same sex to engage in certain intimate sexual conduct. The supreme court invalidated sodomy law across the United States, making same-sex sexual activity legal in every State and United States territory. -
Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission
It was asked if the 2002 BCRA, which prohibited any corporation, non-profit organization, or labor union from making an "electioneering communication" within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of an election, and many other things at any time was unconstitutional. The court held 5–4 that the freedom of speech clause of the First Amendment limits the government from stopping independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations, such as nonprofit corporations, labor unions, and others.