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Marbury v. Madison
During the time that John Adams was leaving presidency after being defeated by Thomas Jefferson, a new judiciary act was set in place. John Marshall was supposed to mail them but he did not mail all of them. William Marbury did not receive his and he took it to the Supreme Court. The court unanimously ordered at writ of mandamus and Madison had to deliver the commissions. This showed the country that you have to follow through with your obligations. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
In 7191 the first national bank was created though there was a lot of doubt. Maryland attempted to close the Baltimore by forcing all banks created outside of the state to pay a yearly tax. James McCulloch refused to pay it and the bank sued him. After being convicted, he appealed and The Supreme Court unanimously agreed with him saying that the law Maryland made was unconstitutional. This created a better perspective of the roles of the congress. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
In 1834, Dred Scott was bought by Dr. Emerson in slave allowing state Missouri and taken to many non slave states. His owner died when they moved back to Missouri. Scott decided to sue Mrs. Emerson, who later gave Scott to Sandford, for not allowing him to be free after he touched and lived on free state grounds. The Supreme Court ruled 7 to 2 in favor of Sandford, saying that Negroes have to be born in a free state to be free. This led to the Civil War because of opposing views. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
In 1890, the state of Louisiana passed the Separate Car Act. There was a 25-dollar fine or 20 days in jail for those who did not follow the Act. Plessy, a man that is 1/8 black, sat on the white side of the first class railroad car. After being arrested he sued the Railroad Company fro violating his 13th and 14th Amendment rights. The Supreme Courts 7 to 1 vote said that segregation was equal. This led to many controversies and further cases. -
Korematsu v. U.S.
After the Pearl Harbor was bombed in December 1941, the United States military had the president pass Executive Order 9066. Fred Korematsu heard and relocated. When the military caught him they put him in jail with the argument that he was going against protocol, the government agreed. Korematsu appealed the decision. The Supreme Courts 6 to 3 decision said that you can't judge people by race.This put a halt on discrimination. -
Brown v. Board of Education(Topeka, KS)
The Brown’s had to walk all the way through a dangerous railroad, to get to the bus stop, to go across town to an all black school. . The Brown’s sued the school saying this violated the 14th Amendment. The courts disagreed saying that as long as they had similar learning environments it was okay. They then took it to the Supreme Court. The unanimous decision proved that segregation was not equal. This case also overruled Plessy.This is the why all races partake in things together. -
Mapp v. Ohio
During an investigation, it was assumed that Dollree Mapp was hiding a fugitive. She refused to let them in. They wrote "Warrant" on a piece of paper, gave it to her, and barged into her house. They only found porn, which is illegal in Ohio. After being prosecuted, Mapp filed an appeal to the Supreme Court saying they could not use the evidence found based on the 4th Amendment. A 6 to 3 vote agreed with Mapp. Now all searches must have a warrant present, and look for what is on it. -
Gideon v. Wainwright
One night a bar was robbed for a bunch of quarters and beer. The next day Gideon was arrest as a suspect for the insident.He had the quarters. At his court hearing, the courts did not appoint him a lawyer, so he had to defend himself. He was found guilty. He wrote a letter to the Supreme Court saying his 6th Amendment to be accompanied by a lawyer was violated. The Supreme Court agreed. Now there is a rule in place that appoints lawyers to those that cannot afford one. -
Miranda v. Arizona
Ernesto Miranda was charged with kidnapping and rape. When he was being questioned the police failed to tell him about the 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination and 6th Amendment to have a lawyer. After being sentenced to 20 to 30 years in prison, his lawyer appealed to the Supreme Court, saying that his 5th and 6th amendments were violated. A 5 to 4 decision agreed.Today you are not allowed to be arrested without being read these rights now known as "Miranda Rights". -
Tinker v. Des Moines
This group of kids wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. The school said that they could not wear the armbands. The students were suspended and took the case to the Supreme Court. The court ruled in favor of the kids with a 7 to 2 vote. They said that you have the right to symbolically speak in or out of school. This affected the schools of the US because it showed children that they could express their freedoms while in school. -
Roe v. Wade
A lady named "Roe" wanted an abortion but it was illegal in the state of Texas. Roe sued the district attorney, Wade, for having violated her 1st, 4th, 5th, 9th, and 14th Amendments. She lost the case and took it to the Supreme Courts. With a 7 to 2 vote the Supreme Court noted that abortion is indeed legal. The only thing you had to have was probable cause. Now women are free to get abortions, but it is very hard to find a doctor to do the procedure. People still disagree with this outcome. -
New Jersey v. TLO
Two girls were caught smoking in the school bathroom.One girl’s purse was then searched by the principle that suspected her of also smoking. Many illegal things were found in her purse. She went to court and they used that evidence against her.Her mom took the case to the Supreme Court, saying her 4th amendment rights were violated. 6 to 3 vote said that her rights were not violated because the principle had probable cause.Now schools are able to search a student, as long as they have a reason. -
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
A school newspaper at Hazelwood is always looked at before it is published. The principle found 2 articles that did not seem right to publish. He deleted them and the students sued him for violating their 1st Amendment rights. With a 5 to 3 vote, the courts found that the student’s rights were not violated and the principle was doing what was right. Today students now carefully think about what they post in the newspaper before publishing. -
Texas v. Johnson
A name named Gregory Johnson doused an American Flag in kerosene and lit it on fire as a symbolic protest against the Reagan Administration. Texas thought that this was wrong and caused harm to this country and sued Johnson in the Supreme Court. The court found, in a 5 to 4 decision, that it was okay for Johnson to burn a flag, as it represented symbolic speech. There is still a hue controversy between those for and opposed. Some even want the constitution to ban flag deformation.
