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Key Supreme Court Cases: Summaries and Analysis, Exams of Law

University of Florida (UF)Law

Concise summaries and analyses of landmark supreme court cases, offering insights into the facts, questions, and opinions that shaped american legal history. It covers cases from marbury v. Madison to kyllo v. United states, highlighting the evolution of judicial review, constitutional rights, and the balance of power between federal and state governments. Each case includes a brief overview, the central question presented to the court, and the court's opinion, along with notes on the historical context and significance of the decision. This resource is valuable for students and anyone interested in understanding the foundations of american law and the role of the supreme court in shaping it.

Typology: Exams

2025/2026

Available from 11/08/2025

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Prof-Morrison 🇺🇸

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Marbury v. Madison (1803) - ANSWERSupreme Court first declared an act of
congress unconstitutional, establishing judicial review. "The court gave itself the
power to review acts of congress."
Martin v. Hunter's Lessee (1816) - ANSWERFacts: Virginia(STATE) enacted
legislation confiscating Loyalist properties, Treaty of Paris(FEDERAL) protected
those properties
Question: Does the Supreme Court(FEDERAL) have the supreme authority over
state courts?(STATE)
Opinion: Yes, federal court rule is supreme over the states
Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1939) - ANSWERFacts: Kids expelled for not
wanting to salute the American flag in school
Question: Did the compulsory flag salute for public schoolchildren violate the
Constitution (1st Amendment)
Opinion: No, the mandatory flag salute was not unconstitutional. "National unity"
was "the basis of national security"
Important: Decision based on the times
West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1942) - ANSWERFacts: West
Virginia Board of Education required schoolchildren to salute the flag, kids were
expelled for not saluting
Problems: Did the compulsory flag salute for public schoolchildren violate the
Constitution(1st Amendment)?
Opinion: Yes. Compelling public schoolchildren to salute the flag was
unconstitutional. The 1st Amendment cannot enforce unanimity of views on any
topic
Important: Decision based on the times
Wickard v. Filburn (1942) - ANSWERFacts: Agriculture Adjustment Act of 1938 set
quotas on the amount of wheat put into interstate commerce and established
penalties for overproduction. Filburn, a farmer, sold more wheat than what he
was permitted to produce and the government sued him.
Question: Did the Agriculture Adjustment Act exceed the power of Congress over
interstate commerce?(Commerce Clause of the Constitution)
Opinion: Congress can regulate local activities that have an effect on interstate
commerce even if the effect is indirect, including regulating commodity prices
and practices affecting.
Court upheld federal law(the act), making this an example of judicial restraint
through existing law
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Marbury v. Madison (1803) - ANSWERSupreme Court first declared an act of congress unconstitutional, establishing judicial review. "The court gave itself the power to review acts of congress." Martin v. Hunter's Lessee (1816) - ANSWERFacts: Virginia(STATE) enacted legislation confiscating Loyalist properties, Treaty of Paris(FEDERAL) protected those properties Question: Does the Supreme Court(FEDERAL) have the supreme authority over state courts?(STATE) Opinion: Yes, federal court rule is supreme over the states Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1939) - ANSWERFacts: Kids expelled for not wanting to salute the American flag in school Question: Did the compulsory flag salute for public schoolchildren violate the Constitution (1st Amendment) Opinion: No, the mandatory flag salute was not unconstitutional. "National unity" was "the basis of national security" Important: Decision based on the times West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1942) - ANSWERFacts: West Virginia Board of Education required schoolchildren to salute the flag, kids were expelled for not saluting Problems: Did the compulsory flag salute for public schoolchildren violate the Constitution(1st Amendment)? Opinion: Yes. Compelling public schoolchildren to salute the flag was unconstitutional. The 1st Amendment cannot enforce unanimity of views on any topic Important: Decision based on the times Wickard v. Filburn (1942) - ANSWERFacts: Agriculture Adjustment Act of 1938 set quotas on the amount of wheat put into interstate commerce and established penalties for overproduction. Filburn, a farmer, sold more wheat than what he was permitted to produce and the government sued him. Question: Did the Agriculture Adjustment Act exceed the power of Congress over interstate commerce?(Commerce Clause of the Constitution) Opinion: Congress can regulate local activities that have an effect on interstate commerce even if the effect is indirect, including regulating commodity prices and practices affecting. Court upheld federal law(the act), making this an example of judicial restraint through existing law

Korematsu v. United States (1944) - ANSWERFacts: Fred Korematsu appealed to the United States Supreme Court about the Japanese Internment Camps Question: Did the President and Congress go beyond their war powers by implementing exclusion and restricting the rights of Americans of Japanese descent? Opinion: No, the order was constitutional because they furthered a military necessity Court bowed to political pressures to retain its legitimacy, court can be trusted by the public Watkins v. United States (1957) - ANSWERFacts: John Watkins, a labor organizer, was asked to testify against his colleagues who had been members of the Communist Party of the United States. He refused Question: Did Watkins have the right to refuse to testify? Opinion: Yes, it was within his 1st Amendment rights to refuse Important: Opinion based on timing Barenblatt v. United States (1959) - ANSWERFacts: Lloyd Barenblatt, university professor, was asked ot testify about his colleagues and their past affiliations with the Community Party Question: Did Barrenblatt have the right to refuse to testify? Opinion: No, he was not protected by his 1st Amendment rights to refuse Important: Opinion based on timing Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) - ANSWERFacts: Connecticut passed a law banning "any drug, medicinal article or instrument for the purpose of preventing conception". Griswold opened a birth control clinic in Connecticut and distributed contraceptives, violating the law Question: Does the Constitution protect the right of martial privacy against state restrictions on a couple's ability to be counseled in the use of contraceptives? Opinion: Yes, there are various guarantees within the bill of rights that establish a right to privacy Example of judicial activism through the constitution Miranda v. Arizona (1966) - ANSWERFacts: Ernest Miranda voluntarily signed a written confession in which he admitted to rape and kidnapping. Was never informed of his right to remain silent or told that his statements during interrogation would be used against him. Question: Does the 5th Amendment's protection against self-incrimination extend to the police interrogation of a suspect? Opinion: Yes, to protect the right granted in the 5th amendment, defendants must be informed about there 5th amendment rights before being questioned Creation of Miranda Rights

He did not have a personal stake in the outcome of the case, thus the case was dismissed Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986) - ANSWERFacts: Matthew Fraser made a speech using graphic sexual metaphors, and was suspended due to school policy. Question: Do public schools have the right to prohibit speech? Opinion: Yes, schools can prohibit the use of vulgar and offensive language United States v. Eichman (1990) - ANSWERFacts: Congress passed the Flag Protection Act, prohibiting the mutilation defacing, etc, of the American Flag Question: Did the act violate freedom of expression protected by the 1st Amendment? Opinion: Yes, the flag act suppresses the communication of attitudes towards the American flag(1st Amendment) Symbolic Speech can also count for actions Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992) - ANSWERFacts: Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act required certain criteria to be met before an abortion could be done Question: Could a state require woman who want an abortion to obtain "consent" without violating their right to abortion as guaranteed to Roe v. Wade? Opinion: No they could not, Roe v. Wade is maintained Sandra Day O'Connor was the main player in getting the votes due to her experience as politician -- she knew how to obtain votes. The People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson (1995) - ANSWERO.J Simpson found not guilty for murder, not guilty under criminal --> public law Arizonans for Official English v. Arizona (1996) - ANSWERFacts: Arizona declared english as the official language, Maria Kelly F. Yniguez quit her job in fear of losing it due to her speaking English and Spanish at work. District Court decided Arizona's declaration violated free speech. Question: Can Yniguez sue the state for compensation after she left her job? Opinion: No, the case was moot because she had voluntarily quite her job, and the damage claim was non-existent Goldman and Brown v. Simpson (1997) - ANSWERO.J Simpson was found responsible for murder and the families were awarded 33.5 million dollars in damages, under tort law --> private law Bush v. Gore (2000) - ANSWERFacts: Florida Supreme Court ordered a recount in the Miami-Dade County Question: Did standard less manual recounts violate the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the 14th Amendment?

Opinion: Yes because now the counting standards were not consistent across counties Ended Al Gore's hopes to become president Supreme Court(essentially) chose Bush to be the president. Their opinion was politically charged Kyllo v. United States (2001) - ANSWERFacts: Danny Kyllo was suspected of growing weed and a thermal-imaging device was used to scan his home without a warrant. They found weed Question: Does the use of a thermal-imaging device to detect heat from a private home violate the 4th amendment? Opinion: Yes, targeting a home with a thermal imager by police is a search under the 4th amendment and is not allowed without a warrant. Personal Liberty Lawrence v. Texas (2003) - ANSWERFacts: John Lawrence and Tyron Garner arrested for gay sex Question: Are state laws banning consensual sodomy constitutional? Opinion: No, consenting adults are allowed to have sex based on how intimate and personal the conduct is to those involved Morse v. Frederick (2007) - ANSWERFacts: Student unfurls banner saying Bong Hits 4 Jesus, was suspended Question: Can the school prohibit students from displaying messages that promote drug use? Opinion: Yes, the school may restrict 1st amendment rights in this case as the message might undermine the school's mission to discourage drug use Example of judicial restraint using the precedent set by Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986) New Jersey v. Delaware (2008) - ANSWERFacts: Oil Company (BP) petitioned to build a natural gas pipeline in NJ. The pipeline would run through the underwater land in DE (the Delaware River). Delaware denied BP's petition. Question: Did Delaware have jurisdiction over the contested area? Opinion: Delaware has jurisdiction over the disputed area, even though BP proposed to build on New Jersey's half of the Delaware River. Sobel v. Derry (2011) - ANSWERFacts: Sobel attempted to sue the state court to challenge a zoning decision made by the Town of Darry. Question: Was Sobel's challenge to the Town of Derry's zoning decision ripe for litigation? Opinion: No, the challenge was not ripe at there had been no final decision regarding the zoning Citizens United V. Federal Election Commission (2010) - ANSWERFacts: The Federal Election Campaign Act regulated the raising and spending of money in

Good Behavior - ANSWERSupreme Court justices can hold their office forever, as long as they maintain good behavior. They may be removed through impeachment and conviction. Horizontal Separation of Powers - ANSWERSystem of governance that distributes power among different branches Judicial Review - ANSWERPower of the Supreme Court to review the actions of the other branches of government and to determine if their actions are consistent with the Constitution, via Marbury v. Madison (1803) Judicial Restraint - ANSWERReluctance of the Court to declare legislative acts unconstitutional Judicial Activism - ANSWERWillingness of the Court to declare legislative acts unconstitutional Justiciability - ANSWERDefines what kinds of cases a court can hear Ripeness - ANSWERDetermines if the issue is developed enough for a meaningful decision Mootness - ANSWERDetermines if the issue is still relevant or has the controversy/issue been already resolved Standing - ANSWERDetermines if the litigant has a personal stake in the outcome of the case Penumbra - ANSWERRights guaranteed from implied meanings Sitting - ANSWERPeriod when the Supreme Court hear cases and deliver opinions Recesses - ANSWERWhen the court considers the business before them and write opinions Substance of Law - ANSWERFocuses on the content, rightness and established principles of law. What law says about our rights. Procedure of Law - ANSWERFocuses on the methods, standards of the legal process, and manner of proceeding. How our rights are enforced or protected Textualism/Originalism - ANSWERIt's possible to know the original meaning of the words of the Constitution. Focuses on the ordinary meaning of the text. Judicial Restraint

Extratextualism/"Living Constituiton" - ANSWERIt's impossible to know the exact meaning of the words of the Constitution, look for extra sources and phenomena Judicial Activism Rational Basis Test - ANSWERRequires the government/state to have a legitimate and rational interest in passing and enacting a given law Special Master - ANSWERAn individual appointed by a court to carry out specific actions on its behalf. Ensure orders are followed or hears evidence and makes recommendations State Courts - ANSWERCommon, petty and small cases Trial(Minor and Major) --> Appellate --> State Supreme --> Federal Supreme Court Small states do not have appellate Federal - ANSWERDeals with federal laws or interpretation of the Constitution, cases in which the U.S government is involved, cases in which bankruptcy, copyright, patents, or maritime is involved, cases with citizens from different states where the damages are more than 75,000. Major issues of public policy. District --> Circuit --> Federal Supreme Court Can you appeal a Supreme Court Decision? - ANSWERNo Process of becoming a Justice - ANSWERPresident Nominates a Candidate --> Senate Judiciary Committee Reviews the Nominee --> Sends their recommendation to the entire Senate --> Entire Senate votes, 51 votes to confirm a nominee "Least dangerous branch" to "the Imperial Judiciary" - ANSWERJudicial Review Method: Precedent - ANSWERWhether or not the court upholds the precedent of previous court cases Method: Existing Law or Statue - ANSWERWhether or not the court upholds a federal/state law or statue Method: The Constitution - ANSWERWhether or not the court adheres strictly to the text/words of the Constitution Political Aspect of The Appointment of Justices - ANSWERMost Supreme Court Justices have a lot of political experience Judicial Impartiality - ANSWERConcept of neutrality in the court room regardless of party and personal affiliations