Important Voting Rights Court Cases Smith v.

ith v. allwright (1944) the denying of African Americans the right to vote in a primary election was found to be a violation of the 15th amendment Wesberry v. Sanders (1963)- Ordered House districts to be near as equal as possibleenshrined the principle of one man, one vote Buckley v. Valeo (1976)- the court ruled that giving money to a campaign was a form of free speech and threw out some strict federal legislations on fund raising and election spending Shaw v. Reno (1993) and Miller v. Johnson (1995)-- Race cannon the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative district boundaries U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton (1995) States cannot set term limits on members of congress. Bush v. Gore (2000) The Florida recount was ruled to be a violation of the 14th amendments equal protection clause.

Judicial Review Fletcher v. Peck (1810) court overturned a state law on constitutional grounds McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)- The court ruled that the states did not have the power to tax the nation al bank (aka the federal government) It reinforced the supremacy clause Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) ruling increased federal power over interstate commerce by implying that anything concerning interstate trade could potentially be regulated by the federal government.

Freedom of Speech Schenck v. United State (1919) evokes a clear and present danger in the prohibition of free speech Gitlow v. New York (1925)- incorporated freedom of speech into state governments Tinker v Des Moines (1969)- Students in an Iowa school were suspended for wearing black armbands, this was unconstitutional. Bethel School District v Fraser (1986)- public school officials have the authority to suspend students for lewd speech Hustler Magazine v. Falwell- Emotional speech doesnt count (?) Morse v. Frederick Banner sophomoric, suspension, does not affect free speech Citizens United v FEC corporations have first amendment right to support candidate Texas v Johnson-ruled that burning the flag is not unconstitutional and a first amendment right

Freedom of the Press Near v Minnesota- selectively incorporates free speech and prohibits prior restraint New York Times v Sullivan- the newspaper has not commited libel if the printed material was later found out to be false NYT v US nyt could publish pentagon papers and the executive branch couldnt stop them

Hazelwood School v Kuhlmier- school officials have sweeping authority to regulate free speech in student run newspapers

Freedom of Assembly and Association Thornhill v Alabama- strikes by labor unions are not unlawful Cox v. New Hampshire- cities and towns require parade permits (Jehovah witnesses) Lloyd corp v tanner- protesters have fewer assembly rights in private areas, such as malls Boy Scouts v. Dale- boy scouts can expel homosexuals

Freedom of Religion Engel v. Vitale- no school prayer Abbington v. Schempp forbids state mandate reading of bible and recitation of lords prayer in public schools Epperson v Arkansas- prohibited states from banning the teaching of evolution in schools Lemon v Kurtzman- secular purpose, no primary effect on religion, no excess entanglement of gov and religion Wisconsin v yoder- amish people can remove children from school for religious reasons. Employment division v. Smith- the state could fire employees that were involved in illegal activities, even though it was related to religion

Rights of the Accused Weeks v US- exclusionary rule in the federal courts Powell v Alabama- governments must provide counsel in cases involving the death penalty to those who cant afford it Betts v brady- state governments did not have to provide lawyers to indigent defendants in capital cases Mapp v ohio- extended the exclusionary rule to the states Gideon v wainwright- state governments must provide lawyers to all cases to those who cant afford one Escobedo v. Illinois- any defendant who asked for a lawyer must have one given to him or any confession would be inadmissible in court Miranda v. Arizona- defendants must be informed of all of their legal rights before they are asserted.

Cruel and Unusual Punishment + Excessive Bail Furman v. Georgia ordered a halt to all death penalty punishments until a less arbitrary punishment was found Woodson v. North Carolina ruled mandatory death penalty sentences were unconstitutional Gregg v. Georgia allowed for the resumption of the death penalty Atkins v. Virginia- forbidding the execution of defendants who are mentally retarded

Right of all Americans to Privacy Griswold v. Connecticut grants people the right to privacy Roe v wade- established national abortion guidelines Webster v reproductive health services- gave states more power to regulate abortion Planned parenthood v Casey- states can regulate abortion but not with an undue burden on a woman Lawrence v. Texas struck down sodomy law in Texas that characterized sodomy as a criminal offense.

Civil Rights Cases Plessy v ferguson- established separate but equal Brown v. board- overturned separate v. equal, later desegregation with all deliberate speed Heart of Atlanta Motel v. US- places of public accommodation are prohibited from discrimination Katzenbach v. McClung civil rights act applied to all businesses R of UC v Bakke- race based affirmative action was permissible as long as it was in the service of creating greater diversification. Grutter v. Bollinger- and Gratz v. Bollinger- upheld affirmative action, referenced to case above.

Federalism Marbury v. Madison established judicial review McCulloch v. Maryland- precedent of federal courts using judicial review Gitlow v. New York- began the process of selective incorporation South Dakota v. Dole- 21 year old drinking age, withholding highway funds US v. Lopez-commerce clause does not give congress the power to regulate guns near state operated schools

Executive Power Korematsu v. US- citizens of Japanese descent could be interned and deprived of basic constitutional rights due to executive order. US v. Nixon- forbid executive privilege in criminal cases. Clinton v. New York- banned presidential use of a line item veto