Landmark Supreme

Court Cases

Legal English resources & conversation topics.

BACKGROUNDA Principle of a High School ordered two pages from the school newspaper to be deleted. The two pages included articles on teen pregnancy and the impact of divorce on students in the school

Constitutional Issue: Does the 1st amendment freedom of speech prevent school administrators from regulating student speech

Court Decision: 5 to 3 against students, school cans regulate students speech

Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988)

Constitutional Issue: Is a defendant who cannot afford an attorney deprived the 6th amendment right to counsel.

Court Decision: Courts ruled in his favour

BACKGROUNDGideon, a petty thief who had served four prison terms, was arrested for breaking into a poolroom in Panama City, Fl and stealing wine & cigarettes. He asked the judge to appoint him an attorney and was denied because Florida law only provided one for a capital crime where death could a penalty.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

BACKGROUNDWest Virginia implemented a compulsory flag salute in public schools. Students who did not comply were punished by expulsion. Barnette’s children were Jehovah’s Witnesses (a religious group who refused to participate in these events) were expelled from school. They appealed to the supreme court

Constitutional Issue: Did mandatory flag salute violate the 14th amendment = equal protection clause & the 1st amendment = freedom of religion

Court Decision: Courts ruled 6-3 in favour of the Barnette’s in terms of the 1st amendment

West Virginia Education v. Barnette (1943)

BACKGROUNDErnesto Miranda was arrested at his home, accused of rape & kidnapping. Questioned at the police station he was not advised of his right to be silent & to have an attorney. After two hours of questioning he signed a written confession. He was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He appealed to the Supreme court.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Constitutional Issue: Did the questioning and the environment violate the 5th amendment

Court Decision: Courts ruled 5-4 in favour of the Miranda saying it did violate the 5st amendment. Miranda Rights are the result of this case.

Constitutional Issue: Did the 1st amendment (freedom of religion) protect them from being forced to send their children to public high school if it was against their religious beliefs

Court Decision: Courts ruled 6-3 that Amish could not be forced to send their children to a public school once they had completed 8th grade.

BACKGROUNDAmish, a religious group who separate themselves from the modern world and operate their own elementary schools. However their education ends at 8th grade. The state required all children to attend school until they were 16 years old. They refused to obey this law and send their children to a public school.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Constitutional Issue: 2nd amendment: right to bear arms

Court Decision: Courts ruled in Heller’s favor, stating it violated his 2nd amendment right. States cannot not pass laws pertaining to the right to bear arms if it violated the federal law

BACKGROUNDThe possession of a handgun is banned under District of Columbia law. The law prohibits the registration of handguns and makes it a crime to carry an unregistered firearm. Furthermore all lawfully owned firearms must be kept unloaded and dissembled or bound by a trigger lock unless they are being used for lawful recreational activities

District of Columbia v Heller

Constitutional Issue: Can the U.S Supreme Court over-rule state court decisions and also whether appointed judiciary affects democratic elections

Court Decision: Courts ruled 5-4 to end hand recounts and announced the next president.

BACKGROUNDThe 2000 presidential election was a very close tie. Who would be become president depended on Florida. Florida voted by punching a hole in the ballot card and the votes were counted by machine. About 60, 000 ballots were not counted because the machine did not detect holes. Gore appealed to Florida Supreme Court and Florida recounted the ballets. Bush appealed to U.S Supreme Court.

Bush v. Gore

Constitutional Issue: Can the school officials prohibit students from warming armbands to symbolize political protest.

Court Decision: Courts rules 7-2 in favor of the students. Symbolic speech can not be punished if it is peaceful.

BACKGROUNDStudents in Des Moines decided to take part in a political protest about the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands to schools. Two days before the protest, the school board created a new policy banning armbands and anyone who did was suspended for two days.

Tinker v. Des Moines

Constitutional Issue: Can evidence discovered in the process of illegal search be used as evidence Court Decision: Courts rules 5-3 in favor of Mapp, stating that illegally obtained evidence is inadmissible in a state court. Exclusionary rule now applies

BACKGROUNDWhile searching for a bombing suspect, police found evidence of a separate crime. The police did not have the right to enter the house nor have a search warrant.

Mapp v. Carr (1962

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