LANDMARK UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT CASES
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Amendment I: Free Speech and Free Press
Amendment I: Free Speech and Free Press
FREE SPEECH & FREE PRESS CLAUSES
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"
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1967
Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts
Libel through information that was "recklessly gathered and unchecked"
1971
New York Times v. United States
Censorship of the Pentagon Papers by the United States government
1988
Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell
Parodies intended to inflict emotional distress as free speech
2000
Freedom of association in prohibiting homosexuals from the Boy Scouts
First Amendment: Religious Clauses
First Amendment: Religious Clauses
ESTABLISHMENT & FREE EXERCISE CLAUSES
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"
🖱️ CLICK NAME OF CASE TO REVIEW
1878
Reynolds v. United States
Religious beliefs as a criminal defense1940
Cantwell v. Connecticut
Incorporation of the Free Exercise Clause of the Second Amendment1940
Minersville v. Gobitis
Refusal to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in class on religious grounds1940
West Virginia State Board of Ed. v. Barnette
Refusal to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or salute the flag on religious grounds1947
Everson v. Board of Education
Incorporation of the Establishment Clause of the Second Amendment1948
McCollum v. Board of Education
Use of public facilities by religious organizations to provide religious education1962
Engel v. Vitale
Non-mandatory and denominational neutral prayer in public school1963
Abington School District
v. Schempp
1963
Sherbert v. Verner
Religious exemptions to six day work week1971
Lemon v. Kurtzman
"Excessive entanglement" of religious matters and public sphere1987
Edwards v. Aguillard
Teaching of creationism in public school1990
Employment Division v. Smith
Use of hallucinogenic on religious grounds1992
Lee v. Weisman
Clergy prayer at school graduation2000
Sante Fe Independent School District v. Doe
Prayer in public schools that is initiated and led by students2003
Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
Teaching intelligent design in public school2005
McCreary v. ACLU
Public display of religious displays2005
Van Orden v. Perry
Public display of the Ten Commandments2014
Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
Mandate in the ACA for corporations to provide no-cost access to contraception2022
Kennedy v. Bremerton School District
Public prayer by a high school football coach during and after gamesSecond Amendment
Second Amendment
TEXT OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT
"A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
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1886
State laws can prohibit the forming of militias, common citizens can still possess guns
1939
Limiting weapons that don't "some reasonable relationship to the preservation or efficiency of a well regulated militia"
2010
Protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia and to use it for traditionally lawful purposes such as self-defense within the home
Fourth Amendment
Fourth Amendment
TEXT OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects,[a] against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
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1991
Warrantless search of a container in an automobile if police have probable cause
Fifth Amendment
Fifth Amendment
TEXT OF THE FIFTH AMENDMENT
"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."
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Sixth Amendment
Sixth Amendment
TEXT OF THE SIXTH AMENDMENT
"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."
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1932
Reasonable time and the right to guarantee a defense counsel if accused of a crime
Eighth Amendment
Eighth Amendment
TEXT OF THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT
"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."
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1976
Revisiting whether or not the death penalty constitutes "cruel and unusual punishment" in extreme criminal cases
1991
Should the impact to a victim's family be considered by the jury when considering the death penalty
2010, 2012
Graham v. Florida and
Miller v. Alabama
Amendment XIV
Amendment XIV
TEXT OF THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT
"No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
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1973
A woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction
2009
Disparate impact during testing to promote firefighters with race as a consideration
Civil Rights Cases
Civil Rights Cases
ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS
While most of these cases involve the Equal Protection of the Fourteenth Amendment, they will be reviewed separately as part of a special unit for Black History Month. Together, they tell the story of the legal emancipation and development of civil rights of African Americans.
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1978
Regents of the University
of California v. Bakke
2023
Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College
Use of racial quotas in the college admissions processMisc. Cases
Misc. Cases
SUBTITLE HERE
While these cases involve other amendments listed above, they will be reviewed separately through this course.
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1944
Korematsu v. United States and Endo v. United States
Internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II1974
The use of "executive privilege" to disobey subpoenas during an investigation of the President of the United States
Report abuse