Supreme Court Cases

This ruling said that people of African descent, whether or not they were slaves, could never be citizens of the United States, and that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories.

• Brown vs Board of Ed

• Gibbons v. Ogden

• Furman v. Georgia

• Dred Scott v. Sandford

This ruling determined that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and require its recitation in public schools, even when it is non-denominational and students may excuse themselves from participation.

• Engle v. Vitale

• Gibbons v. Ogden

• Furman v. Georgia

• Escobedo v. Illinois

Which case legalized interracial marriage nationwide?

• Obergefell v. Hodges

• Tinker v. Des Moines

• Griswold v. Connecticut

• Loving v. Virginia

This ruling held that public school curricular student newspapers that have not been established as forums for student expression are subject to a lower level of First Amendment protection than independent student expression or newspapers established (by policy or practice) as forums for student expression.

• Schenck v. US

• Korematsu v. United States

• Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier

• Mapp v. Ohio

This ruling held that evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment protection against "unreasonable searches and seizures" must be excluded from criminal prosecutions in state courts, as well as federal courts.

• Mapp v. Ohio

• Miranda v. Arizona

• McCulloch v. Maryland

• Marbury v. Madison

This landmark ruling held that basis for the exercise of judicial review of Federal statutes by the United States Supreme Court under Article Three of the United States Constitution is legal.

• McCulloch v. Maryland

• Marbury v. Madison

• Miranda v. Arizona

• New Jersey v. TLO

This fundamental case established the following two principles: that the Constitution grants to Congress implied powers for implementing the Constitution's express powers, in order to create a functional national government, and that state action may not impede valid constitutional exercises of power by the Federal government.

• Miranda v. Arizona

• New Jersey v. TLO

• McCulloch v. Maryland

• Plessy v. Ferguson

This ruling held held that criminal suspects must be informed of their right to consult with an attorney and of their right against self-incrimination prior to questioning by police.

• Regents of California v. Bakke

• Plessy v. Ferguson

• New Jersey v. TLO

• Miranda v. Arizona

The Supreme Court ruled that the "separate but equal" provision of the Louisiana law was constitutional. The case established this principle of segregation until it was overturned in 1954.

• Regents of California v. Bakke

• Roe v. Wade

• Plessy v. Ferguson

• Tinker v. Des Moines School District

A constitutional right to an abortion is established, though the court laid down a trimester criteria in determining whether states can impose restrictions

• Regents of California v. Bakke

• Roe v. Wade

• Tinker v. Des Moines School District

• Texas v. Johnson