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WV State Board of Education v. Barnette
Decision if the compulsory flag - salute for public schoolchildren violate the first amendment. 6-3 decision by the Court in favor of Barnette, stating that it was unconstitutional by violating freedom of speech. -
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Mapp v. Ohio
Decision on if the confiscated materials from Dollree Mapp from an illegal police search were protected from seizure by the fourth amendment. 6-3 decision for Dollree Mapp, stating that it did violate the fourth amendment. -
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Engel v. Vitale
Decision of whether the reading of nondenominational prayer at the start of the school day violates the "establishment of religion" clause of the first amendment. The Court appealed toward Engel, saying that although the prayer isn't tied to a certain religion, the state cannot hold public prayer in school as it does violate the first amendment. -
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Gideon v. Wainwright
Gideon was charged in FL court with felony breaking and entering. Requested that the court appointed a lawyer for him as his didn't have one in court, and it was denied. Decision on if the 6th Amendment's right to counsel in criminal cases extend to felony defendants in state courts. Unanimous decision in favor of Gideon, authored by Justice Black. -
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NY Times v. Sullivan
During the Civil Rights movement, NYT published an ad for contributing donations to defend MLKJ on perjury charges, yet it contained inaccuracies. Sullivan requested NYT to retract the info, and they refused. Decision if Alabama's libel law unconstitutionally infringes on the 1st A.'s freedom of speech and freedom of press protections. Unanimous decision for NYT by Justice Brennan. -
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Griswold v. Connecticut
Connecticut passed a law that banned the use of any drug, device, or instrument in furthering contraception in 1879. Buxton and Griswold opened a birth control clinic and were arrested and convicted of violating the law. Decision if the Constitution protects the right of marital privacy against state restrictions on a couple's ability to be counseled in the use of contraceptives. 7-2 decision for Griswold, as a right of privacy can be inferred from several amendments in the Bill of Rights. -
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Miranda v. Arizona
Case represents the consolidation of four cases, in which the defendant (Miranda) confessed guilt after being subjected to a couple interrogation techniques without being informed of his 5th A. rights. Decision if the fifth amendment's protection against self-incrimination extend to the police interrogation of a suspect. 5-4 decision for Miranda. -
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Loving v. Virginia
in 1958, two residents of Virginia, Jeter, a woman and Loving, a white man were married in the DC. The Lovings returned to Virginia and were charged with violating the state's antimiscegenation statute. Decision if VA's interracial marriage law violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Unanimous decision for Loving, as the the Court held that the distinctions that were drawn according to race were subject to "the most rigid scrutiny" under the Equal Protection Clause. -
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Tinker v. Des Moines
Decision if prohibition against the wearing of armbands in public school as symbolic protest violates 1st Amendment. The Court concluded to a yes, as it did. The armbands represented pure speech that is separate from those participating in it. -
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Brandenburg v. Ohio
Brandenburg, a leader in the KKK, made a speech at a Klan Rally and was later convicted under an Ohio criminal syndicalism law. Decision if Ohio's criminal syndicalism law, prohibiting public speech that advocates various illegal activities, violates Brandenburg's right to free speech as in the 1st and 14th A.'s. Decision for Brandenburg, as the Court held that the Ohio law violated Brandenburg's right to free speech, by using a two-pronged test. -
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Lemon v. Kurtzman
Deciding whether or not statutes that fund non-public, non-secular schools violate the Establishment Clause of the first amendment. The Court decided yes, appealing to Lemon. As non-secular schools are so thoroughly governed by religious ideologies that any amount of public funding supports the ideologies that it is unconstitutional. They also argued that the statute must past a 3-pronged test in order avoid violating the Establishment Clause, in which the RI and PA statute didn't pass. -
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NY Times v. United States
Nixon Administration attempted to prevent the NYT and Washington Post from publishing materials that belonged to a classified Defense Dept. study regarding the US in Vietnam. Decision if the Nixon Admin.'s efforts to prevent the publication of what it termed "classified information" violate the first amendment. 6-3 decision for the NYT, stating that it does violate the first amendment. -
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Roe v. Wade
Roe filed a lawsuit against Wade, challenging a Texas law making abortion illegal unless needed to save the woman's life. Decision on if the Constitution recognizes a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy by abortion. 7-2 decision in favor of Roe. -
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Furman v. Georgia
Furman was burglarizing a private home when a family member saw him. He tried to escape and tripped and the gun he carried went off and killed the resident of the home, and was later convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Decision if the death penalty in these cases serve as cruel and unusual punishment and violate the 8th and 14th A.. 5-4 decision for Furman, as the Court held that the imposition of the death penalty served as cruel and unusual punishment. -
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Gregg v. Georgia
Jury found Gregg guilty of armed robbery and murder and sentenced him to death. Decision if the death sentenced prohibited under the 8th and 14th A. is cruel and unusual punishment. 7-2 decision for Georgia, as the Court dictated that the punishment did not violate the 8th and 14th Amendments under all circumstances. -
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New Jersey v. T.L.O.
TLO was a high school student, and officials searched her purse for cigarettes. They discovered cigarettes, marijuana, and a list of students who owed TLO money. Charged with possession of marijuana. Decision if the exclusionary rule apply to searched conducted by school officials in public schools? 6-3 decision for New Jersey, as the Court held that while the 14th's prohibition applies to public school officials, they may conduct reasonable searches under their authority. -
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Texas v. Johnson
Decision if the desecration of the flag is a form of speech protected under the 1st Amendment. Close 5-4 decision that agreed that it is a protected form of speech. Reason was that they thought the government shouldn't prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds it offensive. The conviction on Johnson was reversed. -
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Employment Division v. Smith
Decision if a state can deny unemployment benefits to a worker fired for using illegal drugs for religious purposes. Court decided yes, as the Court has never held that an individual's beliefs excuse him from law prohibiting conduct that the govt. can regulate. -
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Church of Lukumi Babalu v. Hialeah
Decision if the city of Hialeah's ordinance that prohibits ritual animal sacrifices violates the 1st A.. Unanimous vote for yes, as the Court held that the ordinances were neither neutral nor generally applicable. However the ordinances targeted religious behavior, so they failed to survive the rigors of strict scrutiny. -
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Morse v. Frederick
At a school event Frederick held up a banner saying "Bong Hits 4 Jesus". Principal Morse took it away and suspended Frederick, and he sued her under 1st Amendment. Decision if the 1st A. allows public schools to prohibit students from showing messages promoting use of drugs at events, and if a school official have immunity from damages lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. 1983. 5-4 decision in favor of Morse, as they state that school officials can prohibit the display of such messages. -
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DC v. Heller
Provisions of the DC Code made it illegal to carry an unregistered firearm. Heller was a DC special police officer who was authorized to carry a handgun on duty, but the one-year license was denied for at home purposes. He sued the DC. Decision if the provisions of the DC Code violate the second amendment. 5-4 decision for Heller, agreeing that it does in fact violate the second amendment. -
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McDonald v. Chicago
Several suits were filed against Chicago in Illinois challenging the gun bans, after the issue of DC v. Heller. Decision if the second amendment apply to the states because it is incorporated by the 14th Amendment's Privileges and Immunities or Due Process clauses and therefor made it applicable to the states? 5-4 decision for McDonald, stating that the 14th makes the 2nd A.'s right to keep and bear arms applicable to the states. -
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Snyder v. Phelps
Decision if the 1st Amendment protects protesters at a funeral from liability for intentionally inflicting emotional distress on the family of the deceased. 8-1 decision appealed a yes, as the 1st A. shields those who stage a protest at the funeral of a military service member from liability. -
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Obergefell v. Hodges
Groups of same sex couples sued their state agencies to challenge the constitutionality of those states' bans on it. Decision if the 14th amendment requires a state license for same sex marriage, and if the 14th amendment requires a state to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex that was legally licensed and performed in another state. 5-4 decision in favor of Obergefell, held that it guarantees right to marry. -
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Mahaney Area School District v. B.L.
B.L. is a student from the school, who tried out and failed to make her school's varsity cheerleading team, only making the JV team. She then posted a photo cursing out the school, and was suspended from the JV team for a year. Decision if the 1st A. prohibits public school officials from regulating off-campus student speech. 8-1 decision in favor of B.L., although it was vulgar language against the school, it violates the first amendment.