Supreme Court CasesSupreme Court Cases

U. S. v. NixonU. S. v. Nixon

Background:Background: Watergate Hotel; burglars Watergate Hotel; burglars

break into Democratic break into Democratic Party headquarters. Party headquarters. White House staff are White House staff are charged with the crime. charged with the crime. Prosecutor found out Prosecutor found out President Nixon taped President Nixon taped conversations with his conversations with his staff. Nixon is ordered to staff. Nixon is ordered to turn over the tapes. turn over the tapes. President refuses. President refuses. Prosecutor sues the Prosecutor sues the President in order to have President in order to have him turn over the tapes.him turn over the tapes.

Issue:Issue: Separation of powers. Separation of powers.

Does the executive Does the executive branch have the privilege branch have the privilege to withhold information to withhold information from criminal from criminal investigation (judicial investigation (judicial branch).branch).

Decision: Decision: Executive privileges are Executive privileges are

subordinate to the due subordinate to the due process rights of criminal process rights of criminal investigations.investigations.

Miranda v. ArizonaMiranda v. Arizona

BackgroundBackground Poor Mexican immigrant Ernesto Poor Mexican immigrant Ernesto

Miranda was arrested for kidnapping. Miranda was arrested for kidnapping. After two hours of interrogation the After two hours of interrogation the police emerged with a signed police emerged with a signed confession. Ernesto was sentenced confession. Ernesto was sentenced to 60 years in prison.to 60 years in prison.

Issue: Police never told Miranda of Issue: Police never told Miranda of his Fifth amendment rights to remain his Fifth amendment rights to remain silent and the right to counsel. silent and the right to counsel.

Decision: Supreme court ruled Decision: Supreme court ruled that the confession would not be that the confession would not be admitted because he was not admitted because he was not aware of his rights.aware of his rights.

New Jersey v. T.L.O.New Jersey v. T.L.O.

14 yr old student was caught smoking in 14 yr old student was caught smoking in the restroom. Student was taken to the the restroom. Student was taken to the Vice Principle’s office. The student said she Vice Principle’s office. The student said she did not smoke. The students was then did not smoke. The students was then asked to open her purse. Marijuana, asked to open her purse. Marijuana, money. List of students, rolling papers and money. List of students, rolling papers and a pipe were found in her possession. a pipe were found in her possession.

Issue: Did the search violate the students Issue: Did the search violate the students 44thth Amendment right to be protected from Amendment right to be protected from unreasonable searches. unreasonable searches.

Decision: There was reasonable Decision: There was reasonable cause to search the students purse cause to search the students purse due to a well founded suspicion due to a well founded suspicion that the student was smoking. The that the student was smoking. The items found in the students purse items found in the students purse were in plain view which allowed were in plain view which allowed the Principle to continue the the Principle to continue the search to determine the nature of search to determine the nature of the students drug related activity.the students drug related activity.

Plessy v. FergusonPlessy v. Ferguson

Mulatto Homer Plessy was jailed for Mulatto Homer Plessy was jailed for sitting in the “whites only” section of the sitting in the “whites only” section of the East Louisiana train. East Louisiana train.

Issue: Plessy argued that his 14Issue: Plessy argued that his 14thth amendment rights were violated. That he amendment rights were violated. That he did not receive equal protection under did not receive equal protection under the law.the law.

Decision:Decision:

Supreme Court ruled that separate but Supreme Court ruled that separate but equal facilities were constitutional under equal facilities were constitutional under the law.the law.

Korematsu v. United StatesKorematsu v. United States

World War II. After the bombing of Pearl World War II. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan, Japanese Americans Harbor by Japan, Japanese Americans were forced to live in relocation camps by a were forced to live in relocation camps by a Presidential executive order. Fred Presidential executive order. Fred Korematsu refused to leave his Italian Korematsu refused to leave his Italian girlfriend he was arrested and convicted.girlfriend he was arrested and convicted.

Issue: Being forced to live in camps Issue: Being forced to live in camps violated Korematsu’s civil libertiesviolated Korematsu’s civil liberties

Decision: Supreme Court ruled that it was Decision: Supreme Court ruled that it was Constitutional to detain Japanese American Constitutional to detain Japanese American due to the circumstances of the war. due to the circumstances of the war.

Hazelwood v. KuhlmeirHazelwood v. Kuhlmeir

Three students of Hazelwood High sued the Three students of Hazelwood High sued the Principle over their first amendment right. Principle over their first amendment right. Students were on newspaper staff and wrote Students were on newspaper staff and wrote articles on teen pregnancy and divorce. articles on teen pregnancy and divorce. Principle did not allow the pages to be printed.Principle did not allow the pages to be printed.

Issue: The first amendmentIssue: The first amendment Decision:Decision: Supreme Court ruled that students do not Supreme Court ruled that students do not

have first amendment freedom rights that are have first amendment freedom rights that are not consistent with the educational mission of not consistent with the educational mission of the school. Lasting Impact: Students do not the school. Lasting Impact: Students do not have the same first amendment rights in a have the same first amendment rights in a school setting that they would outside the school setting that they would outside the school.school.

Engle v. VitaleEngle v. Vitale

New York Board of Regents required New York Board of Regents required all students in public school to start all students in public school to start off their day with a daily prayer. off their day with a daily prayer.

Issue: Was this a violation of the first Issue: Was this a violation of the first amendment Establishment Clause?amendment Establishment Clause?

Decision:Decision: Supreme Court ruled states cannot Supreme Court ruled states cannot

force prayer on students, this is a force prayer on students, this is a violation of the Establishment violation of the Establishment Clause.Clause.

Mapp v. OhioMapp v. Ohio

Police enter Dollie Mapp’s home looking for Police enter Dollie Mapp’s home looking for a bombing suspect. She ask for a search a bombing suspect. She ask for a search warrant, they handcuff her and search warrant, they handcuff her and search through her home. Officers found through her home. Officers found pornography and arrest Mapp for pornography and arrest Mapp for possession of obscene materials. possession of obscene materials.

Issue: Did the search violate her 4Issue: Did the search violate her 4thth amendment right?amendment right?

Decision:Decision: Supreme Court ruled evidence could not be Supreme Court ruled evidence could not be

allowed in court because no search warrant allowed in court because no search warrant was used. Exclusionary Rulewas used. Exclusionary Rule

Texas v. JohnsonTexas v. Johnson

Greg Johnson was against the reelection of Greg Johnson was against the reelection of Ronald Reagan. In protest Johnson burns Ronald Reagan. In protest Johnson burns an American flag.an American flag.

Issue:Issue:Was the burning of the flag a form of symbolic Was the burning of the flag a form of symbolic

speech protected under the first speech protected under the first amendment.amendment.

Decision:Decision:

Burning the flag is protected under the first Burning the flag is protected under the first amendment even though society may find amendment even though society may find it offensive.it offensive.

Brown v. Board of Education Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansasof Topeka Kansas Linda Brown has to walk to school five miles Linda Brown has to walk to school five miles

from her home crossing train switching grounds. from her home crossing train switching grounds. The school was run down also. There is another The school was run down also. There is another school four blocks away close to her home but it school four blocks away close to her home but it is an all white school. Everything in Topeka is is an all white school. Everything in Topeka is segregated. Linda’s dad wants his daughter to segregated. Linda’s dad wants his daughter to be able to attend the school close to her home.be able to attend the school close to her home.

Issue: 14Issue: 14thth amendment; equal protection under amendment; equal protection under the law. Is separate but equal facilities the law. Is separate but equal facilities constitutional?constitutional?

Decision: Supreme Court ruled that separate but Decision: Supreme Court ruled that separate but equal was not constitutional in public facilities.equal was not constitutional in public facilities.