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50 Pivotal U.S. Supreme Court Cases
Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson, 343 U.S. 495 (1952)
Film critics call The Miracle: "beautiful," "artistic," "courageous." New York's State Board of Regents calls it "sacrilegious," and bans it. NEW
Tinker v. Des Moines School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969)
To protest the Vietnam war, Mary Beth Tinker wears a black armband to junior high school. The principal orders her to take it off. She will not, and is suspended.
Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969)
The state convicts the Ku Klux Klan for giving speeches about revenge on the government. The Klan asserts their right to free speech. NEW
Board Of Education v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853 (1982)
A Long Island school board removes, from school libraries, all books on a list compiled by political conservatives. NEW
Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989)
Joey Johnson sets an American flag on fire. Texas convicts Johnson of "the desecration of a venerated object."
Reno v. ACLU, 521 U.S. 844 (1997)
Congress passes the Communications Decency Act, outlawing "indecent" online messages that minors can access. As the President signs the bill, the ACLU challenges it.
Near v. State Of Minnesota Ex Rel. Olson, 283 U.S. 697 (1931)
The state shuts down a newspaper, using a law that prohibits "malicious, scandalous and defamatory" publications." NEW
New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971)
The U,S. Department of Justice gets a court order to prevent publication of a document leaked to the press by a Pentagon analyst about the history of the Vietnam War.
Cantwell v. State Of Connecticut, 310 U.S. 296 (1940)
Jehovah's Witness ministers go door-to-door. They are arrested for soliciting religious donations without a state certificate. NEW
West Virginia State Board Of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943)
2000 children of Jehovah's Witnesses are expelled for not saluting the flag. Their parents are charged with causing delinquency.
Sherbert v. Verner, 374 U.S. 398 (1963)
South Carolina State labor laws allow workers to refuse to work on Sunday for religious reasons, but not on Saturday. NEW
United States v. Seeger, 380 U.S. 163 (1965)
Daniel Seeger says he's a Conscientious Objector. His local draft board does not believe him. He is convicted of refusing induction into the Armed Services.
Abington School Dist. v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203 (1963)
Every morning, senior high students hear a Bible reading. A Unitarian family considers this school prayer policy contrary to their faith. NEW
Epperson v. Arkansas, 393 U.S. 97 (1968)
An old state "anti-evolution" statute means that biology teachers in Little Rock who use the school's new science texts could lose their job. NEW
Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 (1972)
Three Amish families pull their children from school for religious reasons. The parents are convicted of violating the compulsory-attendance law. NEW
Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38 (1985)
What Alabama law calls legal voluntary school prayer, Ismael Jaffree calls unconstitutional "religious indoctrination."
Edwards v. Aguillard, 482 U.S. 578 (1987)
Louisiana's Creationism Act permits public schools to teach evolution, but only if "creation-science" is taught with it. NEW
Santa Fe School District v. Jane Doe (2000)
Before every Santa Fe High varsity football game, a student chaplain delivers a prayer over the public address system. Mormons and Catholics object. NEW
N.L.R.B. v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp., 301 U.S. 1 (1937)
Ten workers at Jones & Laughlin Steel are fired. All are leaders in the local labor union -- that, they say, is why they were fired.
Mapp v. Ohio, 367 U.S. 643 (1961)
Police break down Dollie Mapp's door. She asks to see a search warrant. They put her in handcuffs.
Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965)
Estelle Griswold and Dr. Jack Buxton, are convicted of violating the state's birth control law. Their crime: prescribing contraceptives to married couples.
Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347 (1967)
The FBI places a recording device, without a warrant, on a public telephone to convict Charles Katz of illegal gambling. NEW
Tennessee v. Garner, 471 U.S. 1 (1985)
To stop a suspect from getting away, police shoot 15-year old Edward Garner, in the back of the head, dead. In Tennessee, that is legal.
City Of Indianapolis et al. v. Edmond et al. (2000)
A road sign reads "Narcotics Checkpoint Ahead. Be prepared to stop." When James Edmond is stopped, he sues to stop the checkpoints. NEW
Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966)
After two hours in an interrogation room, police emerge with Ernesto Miranda's signed confession. But the police never mentioned his right to counsel.
Frontiero v. Richardson, 411 U.S. 677 (1973)
Air Force servicemen may claim dependent wives without proof. Servicewomen must document their husband's financial dependence. NEW
United States v. Nixon, 418 U.S. 683 (1974)
Investigating a break-in at Democratic headquarters, President Nixon's recordings are subpoenaed. The President will not turn over the tapes.
Goss v. Lopez, 419 U.S. 565 (1975)
After a disturbance, 75 Columbus high school students are suspended. They are given no hearing, nor a reason why the school believes them guilty. NEW
Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963)
Clarence Gideon is arrested for breaking and entering. Clarence cannot afford a lawyer, so he asks the court to appoint one for him. The judge refuses.
Strauder v. West Virginia, 100 U.S. 303 (1879)
Under state law, all jurors must be white. Taylor Strauder, a black man, is sentenced to be hanged for murder. He challenges the whites-only jury rule. NEW
Yick Wo v. Hopkins, 118 U.S. 356 (1886)
Eighty whites apply to run a laundry business in San Francisco; all but one are approved. 200 Chinese apply; all are denied. NEW
Stromberg v. People Of State Of California, 283 U.S. 359 (1931)
Yetta Stromberg leads summer camp children in a daily flag ceremony -- only her flag is Communist Party red. In California that's illegal.
Powell v. State of Alabama, 287 U.S. 45 (1932)
Two white girls accuse nine black teenagers of rape. Until minutes before their trial, the boys have no lawyer. All but the youngest are sentenced to death.
Shelley v. Kraemer, 334 U.S. 1 (1948)
The residents of a Saint Louis neighborhood sign an agreement: "No property shall be occupied by any person not of the Caucasian race." NEW
Avery v. Georgia, 345 U.S. 559 (1953)
James Avery is black. Sixty potential jurors names are selected for his trail; all are white, even though the county is 25% black. NEW
Brown v. Board Of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1955)
Linda Brown wants to go to the nearest public school. But Linda is black, the school is for whites only.
Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964)
Due to outdated voting district boundaries, voters in Alabama cities and suburbs charge that their votes have only one-sixteenth the power of rural voters.
Harper v. Virginia Bd. Of Elections, 383 U.S. 663 (1966)
To vote in this Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, or Texas, you have to pay a poll tax. NEW
In Re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967)
Gerald Gault is accused of making an indecent phone call. He is not allowed a lawyer; no evidence presented. The 15-year-old boy is sentenced to six years.
Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967)
Mildred Jeter marries Richard Loving. They return to their home state of Virginia, and are arrested. The crime: interracial marriage.
Goldberg v. Kelly, 397 U.S. 254 (1970)
With no warning, the state cuts off welfare benefits for single parent Angela Velez. She and her four children are evicted from their home.
Reed v. Reed, 404 U.S. 71 (1971)
Richard Reed dies with no will. His parents, now separated, both ask to administer the estate. The judge finds them equal, so, by Idaho law, chooses Mr. Reed.
Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)
Under the name "Jane Roe," a woman sues the state of Texas for depriving her of her Constitutional right to have a safe, legal abortion.
O'Connor v. Donaldson, 422 U.S. 563 (1975)
Kenneth Donaldson has done nothing criminal or dangerous. Yet he is held for against his will 15 years in Florida State Hospital.
Youngberg v. Romeo, 457 U.S. 307 (1982)
The mother of a severely developmentally disabled adult sues a State Hospital for her son's right to be kept safe, and to move about freely. NEW
Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982)
In Texas free public education is the right of every child -- except for the children of undocumented Mexican farm workers.
United States v. Virginia et al., 518 U.S. 515 (1996)
Virginia Military Institute is Virginia's only single-sex state school. No women need apply. NEW
Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620 (1996)
A Colorado referendum outlaws all existing laws that "protect the status of persons based on their homosexual orientation." NEW
Smith v. Allwright, 321 U.S. 649 (1944)
When Lonnie Smith tries to vote in the Democratic Primary, he is denied a ballot because he is black. NEW
Gomillion v. Lightfoot, 364 U.S. 339 (1960)
The State Legislature redraws the city of Tuskegee goes from a square into strange 28-sided polygon, and from 400 black voters to five. NEW
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