FORTY-ONE USA SUPREME COURT LANDMARK JUDGMENTS WHICH EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW

Marbury Vs. Madison (1803)

The Supreme Court in Marbury Vs. Madison (1803) held that it has power to review any legislative or executive action.

McCulloch Vs. Maryland (1819)

The Supreme Court in McCulloch Vs. Maryland (1819) held that Congress has implied power to create Bank of United States by legislation.

Gibbons Vs. Ogden (1824)

The Supreme Court in Gibbons Vs. Ogden (1824) held that Congress has right to regulate inter state commerce and intercourse.

Dred Scott Vs. Sandford (1857)

The Supreme Court in Dred Scott Vs. Sandford (1857) held that a negro cannot be a citizen of USA and entitled to all of rights , privileges and immunities.

Civil Rights Cases (1833)

The Supreme Court in Civil Rights Cases (1833) held that Civil Rights Act, 1875 providing for equal treatment to citizens, irrespective of race and color, in public accommodation, public transportation and jury service was unconstitutional.

Plessy Vs. Ferguson (1896)

The Supreme Court in Plessy Vs. Ferguson (1896) held that law providing for separate coaches for white and colored persons was constitutionally valid.

Lochner Vs. New York (1905)

The Supreme Court in Lochner Vs. New York (1905) held that prescribing maximum hours of working in bakeries violated the freedom of contract under the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution.

Weeks Vs. United States (1914)

The Supreme Court in Weeks Vs. United States (1914) held that that things seized without warrant violates fourth amendment and cannot be used as evidence in Court.

Schenk Vs. United States (1919)

The Supreme Court in Schenk Vs. United States (1919) propounded test of “clear and present danger” for testing any restriction on freedom of speech and press guaranteed under First Amendment to the USA Constitution.

Buck Vs Bell (1927)

The Supreme Court in Buck Vs Bell (1927) held that Virginia Act was constitutional which provided for sterilization of mental defectives.

West Coast Hotel Vs Parris (1937)

The Supreme Court in West Coast Hotel Vs Parris (1937) upheld the validity of minimum wage legislation passed by Washington State ending Lochner Era.

Korematsu Vs. United States (1944)

The Supreme Court in Korematsu Vs. United States (1944) upheld the internment of only Japanese Americans from military areas during second world war constitutional.

Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. Vs. Sawyer (1952)=

The Supreme Court in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. Vs. Sawyer (1952) held that President does not have any authority to acquire private property without approval of Congress during even National Emergency.

Brown Vs. Board of Education (1954)

The Supreme Court in Brown Vs. Board of Education (1954) held that segregated schools for white and colored race are unconstitutional.

Engel Vs. Vitale (1962)

The Supreme Court in Engel Vs. Vitale (1962) held that prayers in public schools violated First Amendment of the Constitution.

Gideon Vs. Wainright (1963)

The Supreme Court in Gideon Vs. Wainright (1963) held that criminal defendants who are unable to defend themselves due to financial constraints have to be provided attorneys free of cost.

Reynolds Vs SIMS (1964)

The Supreme Court held in Reynolds Vs SIMS (1964) that legislative districts of unequal population sizes in States are unconstitutional.

Griswold Vs Connecticut (1965)

The Supreme Court in Griswold Vs Connecticut (1965) declared Connecticut Comstock Law unconstitutional which provided for prohibited use of any drug, medicinal article or instrument for purpose of preventing conception.

Miranda vs. Arizona (1966)

The Supreme Court in Miranda vs. Arizona (1966) held that statements recorded by police during interrogation will not be admissible before Court unless the accused was informed about his right to consult an attorney and his right against self-incrimination.

Loving Vs Virginia (1967)

The Supreme Court in Loving Vs Virginia (1967) declared law prohibiting interracial marriage in State of Virginia violative of Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution.

Katz Vs United States (1967)

The Supreme Court in Katz Vs United States (1967) held that sharing of information through telephone is covered under Fourth Amendment protections and wiretapping of the same cannot be done without obtaining search warrant.

Terry Vs Ohio (1968)

The Supreme Court in Terry Vs Ohio (1968) held that frisking of suspicious persons for searching concealed arms is not violative of Fourth Amendment.

Brandenburg Vs Ohio (1969)

The Supreme Court in Brandenburg Vs Ohio (1969)propounded the principle of “imminent lawless action” in testing the reasonableness of restriction on freedom of speech and press guaranteed by the Constitution of USA under the First Amendment. .

Tinker Vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)

The Supreme Court in Tinker Vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) held that rights of students are also protected under First Amendment.

New York Times Vs United States (1971)

The Supreme Court in New York Times Vs United States (1971) held that publication of classified information related to Vietnam War (Pentagon Papers) was covered under freedom of press under First Amendment.

Wisconsin Vs Yoder (1972)

The Supreme Court in Wisconsin Vs Yoder (1972) held that imparting compulsory education beyond Eighth Grade to Amish children was unconstitutional.

Roe Vs. Wade (1973)

The Supreme Court in Roe Vs. Wade (1973) held that right to abortion of a woman is part of right to privacy guaranteed under Fourteenth Amendment. But this right was not absolute and was subject to the government’s interest in protecting health and prenatal life.

United States Vs Nixon (1974)

The Supreme Court in United States Vs Nixon (1974) held that executive privileges of the President is limited and the Supreme Court is empowered to review the limits of executive privileges.

Buckley Vs Valeo (1976)

The Supreme Court in Buckley Vs Valeo (1976) held that political spending is a form of speech protected by Fourteenth Amendment. Limits could be put on contributions but there can be no limit on independent expenditure by candidates, individual and organizations in election campaigns.

Greg Vs Georgia (1976)

The Supreme Court in Greg Vs Georgia (1976)held that capital punishment is not in violation of Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment of Constitution in certain circumstances.

Michael H Vs Gerald D (1989)

The Supreme Court in Michael H Vs Gerald D (1989) upheld that California law which presumed child born to married wife to be child of the marriage even if the biological father was someone else.

Texas Vs. Johnson (1989)

The Supreme Court held in Texas Vs. Johnson (1989) that burning of flag of the United States is protected under First Amendment of the Constitution.

Cruzan Vs. Director, Missouri Department Of Health (1990)

The Supreme Court in Cruzan Vs. Director, Missouri Department Of Health (1990) held that state can require clear and convincing proof regarding patient’s prior determination to end life support in case of incompetent individuals .

Reno vs American Civil Liberties Union (1997)

The Supreme Court in Reno vs American Civil Liberties Union (1997) held that Communication Decency Act, 1996 providing for protection of minors from indecent and patently offensive communication was unconstitutional.

Lawrence Vs. Texas (2003)

The Supreme Court in Lawrence Vs. Texas (2003) held that Texas Statute making homosexual act among consenting adult an offence is unconstitutional.

District of Columbia Vs Heller (2008)

The Supreme Court in District of Columbia Vs Heller (2008) held that District of Columbia law prohibiting possession of usable handgun is unconstitutional.

Citizens United Vs Federal Election Commission (2010)

The Supreme Court in Citizens United Vs Federal Election Commission (2010) held that restrictions on independent spending by Corporations and Unions in elections is violative of First Amendment of the Constitution.

Obergefell Vs Hodges (2015)

The Supreme Court in Obergefell Vs Hodges (2015) has held that same-sex couples have right to marriage under Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution.

Dobbs Vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022)

The Supreme Court in Dobbs Vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) overruled Roe Vs Wade and held that the Constitution of USA does not grant right to abortion.

Student for Fair Admission, Inc Vs. President and Fellows of Harvard College (2023)

The Supreme Court in Student for Fair Admission, Inc Vs. President and Fellows of Harvard College (2023) held that consideration of race in admission to Harvard and University of North Carolina (UNA) cannot be reconciled with Equal Protection Clause.

Loper Bright Enterprises Vs Raimondo (2024)

Supreme Court in Loper Bright Enterprises Vs Raimondo (2024) has overruled longstanding Chevron doctrine and held that Judiciary cannot defer to administrative agency’s interpretation of an ambiguity in law that the agency enforces.

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