AP Gov Required Cases

Gideon V Wainright

Man charged with breaking and entering but was not given a lawyer, thus losing his case. SC ruled that the right to counsel applies to criminal defendants in the states

McDonald V Chicago

DC v Heller Case led to the challenge of Chicago and Oak Park, Il, gun restrictions. SC ruled that the right to bear arms extended to the states

NYT V US

NYT published the Pentagon Papers, revealing US blunders in Vietnam. Government claimed it had the right to censor this information, but the SC said that prior restraint was unconstitutional

Tinker V Des Moines

Students wore black armbands in school to protest the Vietnam War. They were punished, but the SC ruled that Symbolic Speech was protected in school (as long as it wasn’t disruptive)

Yoder V Wisconsin

Amish attempted to remove their children from school based on religious views. The School System challenged this. The SC ruled that the Free Exercise Clause protected the Amish.

Engle V Vitale

Families sued a NY school district for creating a voluntary prayer. The SC ruled the state cannot hold prayers in public schools, even if participation is voluntary

Schenck V US

Socialists Schenck and Baer protested the US Draft during WW1 and encouraged disobedience. The SC ruled that they had violated the Espionage Act and that Schenck could be silenced as he represented a clear and present danger to the US.

Citizen’s United V FEC

Buckley V Valeo allowed for individual funds campaign donations. Citizen’s United created a political film, which was brought to public attention. SC ruled that corporations and labor unions are entitled to the same rights as individuals, and could make unlimited independent expenditures to support a candidate

Shaw V Reno

2 strangely shaped districts were created in NC to form Majority-Minority districts in response to the rejection of an earlier plan. The SC ruled that the districts were unconstitutional and challenged the state to present compelling evidence for their reapportionment.

Baker V Carr

The Census had not been used in Tennessee to redistrict since 1901. This led to rural voters having more power than urban ones. SC ruled that the state had to redraw districts and that reapportionment cases were judiciable

United States V Lopez

Prosecution of Student who brought a gun to school in violation of the Gun Free Zone act led to his conviction. SC ruled that the Act was unconstitutional as the justification that it was monitoring an economic activity was insufficient.

MCCuloch V Maryland

New US national Bank established after war of 1812 was taxed by Maryland. SC ruled that Congress could establish a bank under the Necessary and Proper Clause and the Supremacy Clause said Maryland couldn’t tax it.

Marbury V Madison

Judicial Appointee Marbury was not given his position in time. He demanded that the SC compel the state to give him his commission. SC ruled that he was entitled to his position and that it could determine the constitutionality of laws.

Brown V Board of Education

Consolidation of US cases involving segregation in public schools, specifically how black students had been denied admittance to schools based on race. SC decided that “separate but equal” violates the Equal Protection Clause and was unconstitutional. Overturned Plessy V Ferguson