Key Legal Cases and Types of Law

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

• Guaranteed the right to legal counsel for criminal defendants in state courts.

• Established the right to a jury trial in civil cases.

• Abolished the death penalty in the United States.

• Required states to provide free education to all children.

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988)

• Allowed schools to censor student newspapers if the censorship is related to legitimate educational concerns.

• Prohibited schools from censoring student newspapers under any circumstances.

• Allowed students to publish any content in school newspapers without restrictions.

• Required schools to provide funding for all student newspaper publications.

Constitutional Law

• Derived from state laws and regulations.

• Derived from the U.S. Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land.

• Based solely on international treaties.

• Established by common law precedents.

In re Gault (1966)

• Guaranteed juveniles the same due process rights as adults in court proceedings.

• Established that juveniles could not be tried as adults under any circumstances.

• Allowed for harsher penalties for juvenile offenders compared to adults.

• Required that all juvenile cases be tried in federal court.

Case Law/Common Law

• Common law is developed through legislative acts.

• Common law is developed through judicial decisions in courts.

• Common law is a type of statutory law.

• Common law is only applicable in civil cases.

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

• Declared that African Americans could not be American citizens and had no standing to sue in federal court.

• Established that slavery was legal in all territories of the United States.

• Granted African Americans the right to vote in federal elections.

• Ruled that the federal government could not regulate slavery in the territories.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

• Upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

• Declared racial segregation unconstitutional.

• Established the principle of affirmative action.

• Promoted integration in public schools.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• Declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

• Established the principle of 'separate but equal'.

• Allowed for voluntary school desegregation.

• Mandated the use of standardized testing in schools.

Criminal Law

• Laws related to civil disputes and their resolutions.

• Laws related to crimes and their punishments. (e.g., theft, assault, murder)

• Laws governing business transactions and contracts.

• Laws that regulate family matters and domestic relations.

Statutory Law

• This type of law is created through a formal legislative process involving the drafting, proposal, and enactment of laws by elected legislators.

• This type of law is created through judicial decisions and interpretations by courts.

• This type of law is created through executive orders issued by the President or Governor.

• This type of law is created through informal agreements and negotiations between parties.