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List of United States Supreme Court cases
This is a chronological list of notable cases decided by the Supreme Court of the United States.
Contents |
1790-1819
- Chisholm v. Georgia, 2 U.S. 419 (1793): first "major" case; federal jurisdiction over suits vs. states
- Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803): judicial review of laws enacted by Congress
- Stuart v. Laird , 5 U.S. 299 (1803): enforceability of rulings issued by judges who have since been removed from office
- Ex Parte Bollman, 8 U.S. 75 (1807): habeas corpus, definition of treason, Supreme Court's power to issue writs to circuit courts
- Fletcher v. Peck, 10 U.S. 87 (1810): property rights
- Martin v. Hunter's Lessee, 14 U.S. 304 (1816): Loyalist property forfeiture, Supreme Court review of state court judgments
- McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819): doctrine of implied powers
- Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward, 17 U.S. 518 (1819): impairment of contracts
1820-1839
- Cohens v. Virginia, 19 U.S. 264 (1821): judicial review of state supreme court decisions
- Gibbons v. Ogden, 22 U.S. 1 (1824): Congressional power to regulate interstate commerce
- Ogden v. Saunders , 25 U.S. 213 (1827): state bankruptcy law
- Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 30 U.S. 1 (1831): Indian nations as foreign states
- Worcester v. Georgia, 31 U.S. 515 (1832): Indian removal
- Barron v. Baltimore, 32 U.S. 243 (1833): reach of the Bill of Rights
1840-1859
- United States v. The Amistad, 40 U.S. 518 (1841): slave trade and slave ownership (see Amistad)
- Prigg v. Pennsylvania , 41 U.S. 539 (1842): runaway slaves
- Dred Scott v. Sanford, 60 U.S. 393 (1856): slavery, citizenship
1860-1879
- Ex Parte Milligan, 71 U.S. 2 (1866): habeas corpus, military tribunals
- Ex Parte Garland, 71 U.S. 333 (1866): retroactive civil disability for former Confederate officers
- Ex Parte McCardle, 74 U.S. 506 (1868): congressional power to limit Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction
- United States v. Klein, 80 U.S. 128 (1871)
- Slaughterhouse Cases, 83 U.S. 36 (1872): freedom of employment
- Bradwell v. The State (of Illinois) , 83 U.S. 130 (1872): equal protection, excluding women from employment
- Minor v. Happersett, 88 U.S. 162 (1874):Fourteenth Amendment does not provide a right of Suffrage
- United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542 (1875): The First and Second Amendment do not apply to the States, despite the Fourteenth Amendment
- Munn v. Illinois, 94 U.S. 113 (1876)
1880-1899
- Civil Rights Cases, 109 U.S. 3 (1883)
- Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad, 118 U.S. 394 (1886)
- Wabash v. Illinois , 118 U.S. 557 (1886): individual states can not regulate interstate commerce
- Dent v. West Virginia, 129 U.S. 114 (1889): state licensing of doctors
- Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad v. Minnesota , 134 U.S. 418 (1890): states and railway fees
- Nix v. Hedden , 149 U.S. 304 (1893): status of tomato as fruit or vegetable
- United States v. E. C. Knight Co., 156 U.S. 1 (1895): antitrust action; "Sugar Trust Case"
- In re Debs , 158 U.S. 564 (1895): strikes and interstate commerce
- Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co., 158 U.S. 601 (1895): income tax and tariffs
- Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896): segregation, "separate but equal"
- United States v. Trans-Missouri Freight Association , 166 U.S. 290 (1897): railroads and rate fixing
- Holden v. Hardy , 169 U.S. 366 (1898)
- Hawker v. New York , 170 U.S. 189 (1898): character and doctor's licenses
- United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898): citizenship and race
- Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education, 175 U.S. 528 (1899): segregation in public schools
1900-1919
-
Insular Cases, (numerous): constitutional status of Puerto Rico and the Philippines
- DeLima v. Bidwell , 182 U.S. 1 (1901)
- Goetze v. United States , 182 U.S. 221 (1901)
- Armstrong v. United States , 182 U.S. 243 (1901)
- Downes v. Bidwell , 182 U.S. 244 (1901)
- Huus v. New York & Porto Rico S.S. Co. , 182 U.S. 392 (1901)
- Dooley v. United States , 183 U.S. 151 (1901)
- Fourteen Diamond Rings v. United States , 183 U.S. 176 (1901)
- Hawaii v. Manikichi , 190 U.S. 197 (1903), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
- Kepner v. United States , 195 U.S. 100 (1904), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
- Dorr v. United States , 195 U.S. 138 (1904), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
- Gonzales v. Williams , 192 U.S. 1 (1904): Puerto Ricans and illegal aliens
- Rasmussen v. United States , 197 U.S. 516 (1905), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
- Lochner v. New York, 198 U.S. 45 (1905): freedom of contract, substantive due process
- Hale v. Henkel , 201 U.S. 43 (1906): witness testimony in antitrust cases
- Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. v. Riggs, 203 U.S. 243 (1906)
- Adair v. United States, 208 U.S. 161 (1908): "yellow-dog" contracts
- Muller v. Oregon, 208 U.S. 412 (1908): protective labor laws, protection of women
- Bobbs-Merrill Co v. Straus, 210 U.S. 339 (1908): Extension of copyright holder rights with license terms
- Berea College v. Kentucky , 211 U.S. 45 (1908): state laws and segregation of educational facilities
- United States v. Grimaud , 220 U.S. 506 (1911): Control of forest reserves
- Dowdell v. United States , 221 U.S. 325 (1911), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
- Bauer & Cie. v. O'Donnell, 229 U.S. 1 (1913): No extending patent with license, no exclusive right by holder on "use" of copyrighted works. Licesened and sold are the same thing if purchased as finished product.
- Ocampo v. United States , 234 U.S. 91 (1914), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
- Guinn v. United States, 238 U.S. 347 (1915)
- Buchanan v. Warley, 245 U.S. 60 (1917): racial covenants
- Hammer v. Dagenhart, 247 U.S. 251 (1918): Congressional power to regulate child labor under the Commerce Clause
- International News Service v. Associated Press , 248 U.S. 215 (1918): determined whether there are any property rights in news.
- Schenck v. United States, 249 U.S. 47 (1919): freedom of speech, "clear and present danger"
1920-1939
- Missouri v. Holland, 252 U.S. 416 (1920): states' rights
- Balzac v. Porto Rico[sic] , 258 U.S. 298 (1922), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
- Adkins v. Children's Hospital, 261 U.S. 525 (1923): freedom of contract, minimum wage laws
- United States v. Ninety-Five Barrels (More or Less) Alleged Apple Cider Vinegar , 265 U.S. 438 (1924): Food and Drug Act condemns misleading statements on packaging, even if literally true.
- Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925): privacy
- Gitlow v. New York, 268 U.S. 652 (1925)
- Myers v. United States, 272 U.S. 52 (1926)
- Buck v. Bell, 274 U.S. 200 (1927): compulsory sterilization, eugenics
- Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927)
- Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931): freedom of speech
- Powell v. Alabama , 287 U.S. 45 (1932)
- Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, 295 U.S. 495 (1935): interstate commerce, New Deal
- West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish, 300 U.S. 379 (1937)]: freedom of contract, minimum wage laws, "the switch in time that saved nine"
- Connecticut General Life Insurance Company v. Johnson, 303 U.S. 77 (1938)
- United States v. Miller , 307 U.S. 174 (1939)
1940-1959
- Chambers v. Florida, 309 U.S. 227 (1940)
- Edwards v. California, 314 U.S. 160 (1941): Interstate Commerce clause
- Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 315 U.S. 568 (1942): fighting words
- Betts v. Brady , 316 U.S. 455 (1942)
- Skinner v. Oklahoma, 316 U.S. 535 (1942): compulsory sterilization, eugenics
- Smith v. Allwright, 321 U.S. 649 (1944): voting rights, segregation
- Korematsu v. United States, 323 U.S. 214 (1944): Japanese internment
- Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1 (1947): First Amendment, Establishment of Religion
- Shelley v. Kraemer, 334 U.S. 1 (1948),: equal protection, racial covenants
- United States v. National City Lines Inc. , 334 U.S. 573 (1948): General Motors streetcar conspiracy
- Wheeling Steel Corp. v. Glander, 337 U.S. 562 (1949): due process (Fourteenth Amendment), Interstate Commerce clause
- Wolf v. Colorado , 338 U.S. 25 (1949): Fourteenth Admendment, state court, evidence from unreasonable search and seizure
- Sweatt v. Painter, 339 U.S. 629 (1950): segregation, separate but equal
- McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950): Fourteenth Amendment, segregation
- Dennis v. United States, 341 U.S. 494 (1951): First Amendment and the Smith Act
- Rochin v. California, 342 U.S. 165 (1952): restriction of police power
- Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954): segregation , "separate inherently inequal"
- Bolling v. Sharpe, 347 U.S. 497 (1954): segregation
- Griffin v. Illinois , 351 U.S. 12 (1956): access to court transcript for indigent appeals
- Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476 (1957): obscenity
- NAACP v. Alabama, 357 U.S. 449 (1958): upheld NAACP refusal to provide membership lists to Alabama
1960-1979
- Boynton v. Virginia, 364 U.S. 454 (1960): racial segregation
- Torcaso v. Watkins , 367 U.S. 488 (1961): oaths, religious test, 1st Amendment
- Mapp v. Ohio, 367 U.S. 643 (1961): search and seizure, exclusionary rule
- Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186 (1962): reapportionment issues
- Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962): school prayer
- Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963): right to counsel
- Douglas v. California , 372 U.S. 353 (1963): criminal court appeal unavailable due to defendant poverty violates Fourteenth Amendment
- Abington School District v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203 (1963): mandatory bible reading in public school
- Wesberry v. Sanders, 376 U.S. 1 (1964): size of districts
- New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964): freedom of speech, libel
- Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964): population size of districts for state senates.
- Jacobellis v. Ohio, 378 U.S. 184 (1964): I know [obscenity] when I see it[.] - Justice Potter Stewart
- Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States, 379 U.S. 241 (1964): interstate commerce, civil rights, public accommodations
- Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965): privacy, birth control
- Memoirs v. Massachusetts, 383 U.S. 413 (1966): ruling on obscenity
- Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections , 383 U.S. 663 (1966)
- Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966): self-incrimination, "you have the right to remain silent"
- In Re Gault , 387 U.S. 1 (1967): due process, juveniles
- Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967): interracial marriage
- Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1 (1968): search and seizure, right of police to stop and frisk suspicious persons
- Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969): freedom of speech balanced against discipline in public schools
- Street v. New York , 394 U.S. 576 (1969)
- Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC , 395 U.S. 367 (1969): Fairness Doctrine, broadcaster responsibilities, freedom of speech
- Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969): freedom of speech, incitement to riot
- Griggs v. Duke Power Co. , 401 U.S. 424 (1971): employment discrimination; disparate impact of employer practices
- Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, 402 U.S. 1 (1971): busing authorized to establish school desegregation
- Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971): freedom of speech, fighting words/obscenity, "fuck the draft"
- Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602 (1971): establishment of religion, schools, "the Lemon test"
- New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971): freedom of the press, national security, Pentagon Papers
- Wisconsin v. Yoder , 406 U.S. 205 (1972): freedom of religion, high school education
- Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972): death penalty, cruel and unusual punishment
- Perry v. Sindermann, 408 U.S. 593 (1972): defacto professor tenure, First Amendment
- Branzburg v. Hayes, 408 U.S. 665 (1972): First Amendment, grand jury, journalists' rights
- Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973): abortion, due process, privacy
- Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973): freedom of speech, Miller test for obscenity
- Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974): freedom of speech
- United States v. Nixon, 418 U.S. 683 (1974): judicial review, executive privilege, separation of powers
- Milliken v. Bradley, 418 U.S. 717 (1974): segregation, busing
- Gregg v. Georgia , 428 U.S. 153 (1976): death penalty
- Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978): racial discrimination, affirmative action
- FCC v. Pacifica Foundation, 438 U.S. 726 (1978): obscenity, FCC policing of obscenity
1980-1999
- Consolidated Edison Co. v. Public Serv. Comm'n, 447 U.S. 530 1980: freedom of speech (companies including information inserts with bills)
- Plyler v. Doe , 457 U.S. 202 1982: children of illegal immigrants may not be refused education
- Michigan v. Long, 463 U.S. 1032 1983: narrowed adequate and independent state ground
- Bernal v. Fainter, 467 U.S. 216 1984: notary public need not be citizen
- Lynch v. Donnelly , 465 U.S. 668 1984: public religious display on private property
- Sony Corp. v. Universal City Studios, 464 U.S. 417 1984: copyright, VCR "time-shifting", fair use
- Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38 1985: school sponsorship of voluntary religious observances
- Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority, 469 U.S. 528 1985: minimum wage laws apply to state government
- Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson , 477 U.S. 57 1986
- Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186 1986: homosexuality (later reversed); see also Texas v. Lawrence (2003)
- Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 1986: peremptory challenge, racial discrimination
- Nix v. Whiteside, 475 U.S. 157 1986: attorney-client privilege
- South Dakota v. Dole , 483 U.S. 203 1987: Withholding of Federal highway funds to force state to raise drinking age to 21 is permissible
- Edwards v. Aguillard, 482 U.S. 578 1987: Mandating teaching creation science if the theory of evolution is taught is unconstitutional
- Morrison v. Olson, 487 U.S. 654 1988 independent counsel's office
- Hustler Magazine v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46 1988: 1st Amendment; parody, emotional distress
- Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260 1988: freedom of speech in school newspaper
- Community For Creative Non-Violence v. Reid 490 U.S. 730 (1989): Copyright, Work for hire
- Martin v. Wilks , 490 U.S. 755 1989
- Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 1989: freedom of speech (flag burning)
- Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, 492 U.S. 490 (1989)- abortion rights
- United States v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 1990: freedom of speech (flag burning)
- Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service Co, 499 U.S. 340 1991: creativity required for copyright protection
- Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 1992: abortion
- R. A. V. v. City of St. Paul, 505 U.S. 377 1992: fighting words, hate speech
- Lee v. Weisman, 505 U.S. 577 1992
- Alexander v. United States , 509 U.S. 544 1993
- Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. City of Hialeah , 508 U.S. 520 1993: animal cruelty, freedom of religion
- Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, 510 U.S. 569 1994: copyright, commercial fair use is possible, parody
- United States v. Shabani, 513 U.S. 10, 115 S. Ct. 382, 130 L. Ed. 2d 225 1994: Criminal conspiracy only requiires agreement and does not require an overt act
- Adarand Constructors v. Peņa , 515 U.S. 200 1995: Race-based setasides must meet strict scrutiny test
- United States v. Alfonso Lopez, Jr., , 514 U.S. 549 1995: interstate commerce, gun-free school zones
- Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620 1996: equal protection, homosexuality
- Hopwood v. Texas , 861 F. Supp. 551 (WD Tex. 1994), Certiorari denied 1996: Question of constitutionality of race-based admissions
- 44 Liquormart, Inc. v. State of Rhode Island , , 517 U.S. 484 1996: restrictions of promotion of alcohol
- Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U.S. 844, 117 S.Ct. 2329, 138 L.Ed.2d 874 1997: free speech, obscenity, CDA
- Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, 523 U.S. 75 1998: sexual harassment by same sex unlawful
- Hunt v. Cromartie, 526 U.S. 541 1999: gerrymandering
- Florida Prepaid Postsecondary Education Expense Board v. College Savings Bank , 527 U.S. 627, 119 S. Ct. 2199 1999: sovereign immunity of the states
2000-present
- United States v. Morrison 2000
- Boy Scouts of America v. Dale 2000: right of free association , homosexuality
- Bush v. Gore 2000: Vote recounts in presidential election
- Easley v. Cromartie 2001: racial discrimination, gerrymandering
- Republican Party of Minnesota v. White 2002: election of state judges, freedom of speech
- Eldred v. Ashcroft 2003: copyright duration
- Grutter v. Bollinger 2003: racial discrimination, affirmative action, equal protection
- Gratz v. Bollinger 2003: racial discrimination, affirmative action, equal protection
- Lawrence v. Texas 2003: liberty, due process, homosexuality
- McConnell v. FEC 2003: Some political speech is not protected by the First Amendment
- Doe v. Chao 2004: governmental violation of privacy rights
- Intel Corp. v. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. 2004: foreign tribunals
- Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow 2004: Validity of "under God" in Pledge of Allegiance; standing to bring suit on another's behalf.
- Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial District Court of Nevada 2004: State law permitted to require citizens to identify themselves to police.
- Hamdi v. Rumsfeld 2004: detention of American citizens
- Rasul v. Bush 2004: jurisdiction over foreign nationals detained in Guantanamo Bay
- Blakely v. Washington 2004: right to jury trial, judge-enhanced criminal sentences
Cases awaiting decision
- Central Laborers' Pension Fund v. Heinz 2004: an ambiguity in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
- United States v. Benitez 2004: the responsibility of a defendant in the case of a violation of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11
- Department of Transportation v. Public Citizen 2004: Presidential foreign affairs and foreign trade Actions
- Rumsfeld v. Padilla 2004: detention of American citizens
Categories: U.S. Supreme Court | U.S. Supreme Court cases | United States case law | United States legal history
Last updated: 12-31-2004 12:21:21