Name: ______Period: _____

Key Court Decisions

Listed below are some key court decisions that have affected U.S. history. Students should be familiar with the names of cases as well as with the legal principles set forth in these decisions. Summarize your textbook by completing the following chart:

Case: / Year: / Importance of the Decision (key people & outcome) / Page #’s in book:
Trial of John Peter Zenger / 1730 / Established freedom of the Press: Zenger printed a newsletter criticizing British rule.
Marbury v. Madison / 1803 / Judicial Review: 1st decision of a congressional act ruled unconstitutional- Checks and Balances
Court Ruled for Marbury
Dred Scott v. Sanford / 1857 / Dred Scott, a slave, sued for his freedom in Missouri
-African Americans are not citizens- can't sue
-Missouri Comp. line unconstitutional
Court Ruled for Sanford
Plessy v. Ferguson / 1896 / Set the precedent for "Separate but Equal" in public education
Court Ruled for Ferguson
Schenck v. United States / 1917 / Schenck was the leader of the Socialist Party
-Printed leaflets to influence men not to enlist in the
armed forces during WWI
-First Amendment: free speech
Court Ruled for Schenck
Korematsu v. United States / 1945 / Questioned extent of war powers of president and congress: Korematsu refused to leave home after Executive Order 9066
Court Ruled for U.S.
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka / 1954 / Segregation in public schools was ended: "Separate but Equal" unconstitutional- reverse Plessy v. Ferguson
Court Ruled for Brown
Engle v. Vitale / 1962 / Engle was a parent of students/ Vitale was head of school board
1st Amd.- Separation of Church and State
Prayer in school adopted by school board
Court Ruled for Engle
Gideon V. Wainwright / 1963 / 6th Amd.: right to counsel in all criminal crimes
Gideon not given a lawyer and defended himself- fair trial
Court Ruled for Gideon
Miranda v. Arizona / 1966 / Miranda arrested and was not read his rights: attorney/silent
5th Amd.- "witness against himself"
Court Ruled for Miranda
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District / 1969 / John Tinker: kids suspended from school for wearing black arm bands protesting Vietnam War
1st Amd.- Free Speech
Court Ruled for Tinker
New York Times v. Unites States / 1971 / Ellsberg copied "Pentagon Papers" and turned them over to NYT 1st & 14th Amd.- Free Press v. National Security
Court Ruled for NYT
Roe v. Wade / 1973 / Jane Roe(fake)- pregnant and unmarried wanted and abortion, Texas law prohibited abortion- 14th Amd.- privacy/protection
Court Ruled for Roe
United States v. Nixon / 1974 / President and Executive Privilege, Nonmilitary & Nondiplomatic
Does not allow Executive Priv. Court Ruled for U.S.

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