| McCulloch v. Maryland |
1819 case about federal power and state interference, regarding the establishment of a national bank. |
Established federal supremacy over states, citing the Necessary and Proper Clause. |
Majority by John Marshall |
Strengthened federal authority, underpinning the growth of federal power. |
No directly related cases |
| United States v. Lopez |
1995 case about the limits of Congress's power under the Commerce Clause, regarding carrying guns in school zones. |
Ruled that the Gun-Free School Zones Act exceeded Congress's commerce power. |
Majority by Rehnquist |
Defined limits to Congress's commerce power, leading to other challenges on federal authority. |
No directly related cases |
| Marbury v. Madison |
1803 case establishing the principle of judicial review. |
Established the Supreme Court's power to declare laws unconstitutional. |
Majority by John Marshall |
Foundation for judicial review, significantly impacting the balance of power in the U.S. |
No directly related cases |
| Engel v. Vitale |
1962 case on the prohibition of mandatory prayer in public schools. |
Ruled that mandatory prayer in public schools violates the Establishment Clause. |
Majority by Hugo Black |
Cemented the principle of separation of church and state in public education. |
Wisconsin v. Yoder (related through discussions about the separation of church and state and its impact on individual freedoms) |
| Wisconsin v. Yoder |
1972 case dealing with compulsory education and religious freedom for Amish children. |
Held that compulsory education laws violate Amish families' free exercise of religion. |
Majority by Warren Burger |
Affirmed religious freedoms, impacting education laws concerning religious groups. |
Engel v. Vitale (connected through the First Amendment implications) |
| Tinker v. De Moines Independent Community School District |
1969 case on free speech rights of students wearing armbands to protest Vietnam War. |
Ruled that students do not lose First Amendment rights at school unless disruptive. |
Majority by Abe Fortas |
Strengthened student speech rights in public schools, sparking further student rights cases. |
New York Times Co v. United States (related through First Amendment freedoms) |
| New York Times Co v. United States |
1971 case concerning the Pentagon Papers and freedom of the press. |
Allowed press to publish classified documents, emphasizing a "heavy presumption against prior restraint." |
Majority by Black and Douglas |
Reinforced freedom of the press against government attempts to censor. |
Tinker v. De Moines Independent Community School District (connected through issues of freedom of speech) |
| McDonald v. Chicago |
2010 case on the applicability of the Second Amendment to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. |
Incorporated the Second Amendment right to bear arms to the states. |
Majority by Alito |
Key case in the ongoing gun control debate, affirming individual gun rights nationally. |
No directly related cases |
| Baker v. Carr |
1962 case that decided redistricting issues present justiciable questions, leading to "one person, one vote." |
Established the Court's authority to review redistricting challenges. |
Majority by Earl Warren |
Led to widespread redistricting for more equal representation, shaping modern electoral politics. |
Shaw v. Reno (both address issues related to voting and districting) |
| Shaw v. Reno |
1993 case regarding racial gerrymandering in North Carolina's congressional districts. |
Held that racial gerrymandering claims are justiciable under the Equal Protection Clause. |
Majority by Sandra Day O'Connor |
Led to restrictions on racial considerations in districting, with ongoing debates and litigation. |
Baker v. Carr (connected through themes of electoral fairness and districting) |
| Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission |
2010 case about regulations on political spending by corporations. |
Ruled that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts cannot be limited. |
Majority by Kennedy |
Greatly expanded corporate and union political spending, sparking ongoing debates and reforms. |
No directly related cases |
| Brown v. Board of Education |
1954 case challenging the doctrine of "separate but equal" in public education. |
Declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. |
Majority by Earl Warren |
Landmark in civil rights movement, beginning the process of desegregation in public schools. |
No directly related cases |
| Gideon v. Wainwright |
1963 case on the right to counsel for criminal defendants under the Sixth Amendment. |
Held that states are required to provide counsel in criminal cases fordefendants unable to afford their own attorneys. |
Majority by Hugo Black |
Ensured the right to counsel, fundamentally changing criminal defense in the U.S. |
No directly related cases |
| Schneck v. United States |
1919 case dealing with enforcement of the Espionage Act during World War I, particularly speech that obstructed the draft. |
Held that speech creating a "clear and present danger" of substantive evils Congress has right to prevent can be curtailed. |
Majority by Oliver Wendell Holmes |
Introduced the "clear and present danger" test, impacting interpretations of free speech. |
No directly related cases |