Bill of Rights Cases
First Amendment:
Case
-Topic
Description
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
-Establishment of Religion
New York school system
started each school day with a
prayer to God over the
loudspeaker.
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
-Freedom of Speech
(students)
To protest the Vietnam War,
students wore black
armbands to school. Fearing
a possible disruption, the
principal suspended the
students.
During a political protest, a
man set a US flag on fire. He
was arrested and jailed for the
act.
Texas v. Johnson (1989)
-Freedom of Speech
(symbolic)
Schenck v. United States
(1919)
-Freedom of Speech
A couple passes out
pamphlets telling people to
disobey the WW1 draft.
Arrested for obstructing the
military during wartime.
Chaplinsky v. New
Hampshire (1942)
-Freedom of Speech
Man stood on a public street
and shouted obscene,
inflammatory, and violent
statements about people
New York Times v. Sullivan
(1964)
-Freedom of the Press
Group bought ad (with minor
inaccuracies) in NY Times
seeking $ to support Martin
Luther King. Official in
Alabama sued for libel.
Lloyd Corporation v. Tanner
(1972)
-Peaceful Assembly
Owner of a local mall refused
to allow a group to protest on
its property.
Village of Skokie v. The
National Socialist Party
(1978)
-Peaceful Assembly
A man sought permits for a
peaceful march with members
of the Nazi Party. He was
denied as city leaders
disagreed with the party’s
beliefs.
Ruling
Second Amendment:
Case
-Topic
Description
District of Columbia v. Heller
(2008)
A man wanted to have a
handgun for personal use
unrelated to his job as a police
officer. Denied partly due to
handguns not existing at the
time
-Right to Bear Arms
Beecham v. United States
(1994)
-Right to Bear Arms (felons)
Ruling
A felon completed state
requirements to get his lost
(due to the felony*) rights
back, including the right to
own a gun.
Fourth Amendment:
Case
-Topic
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
-Unreasonable Search and
Seizure
Kyllo v. United States (2001)
-Unreasonable Search
Ferguson v. City of
Charleston (2001)
-Unreasonable Search
Wyoming v. Houghton
(1999)
Description
During an illegal search of a
private home (looking for a
fugitive) illegal material was
found, seized, and the owner
arrested.
Officers thought illegal
substances were being grown
in a home, so used a thermal
imager to see if “hotspots”
existed and used that to get a
warrant
A hospital drug tested
pregnant patients without
warrant or consent solely to
provide the and the results
used to arrest them.
Officer notices a drug needle
in pocket of driver after a
routine traffic stop. He
searched the car and found
drug items in the passenger’s
purse.
Ruling
Fifth Amendment:
Case
-Topic
Miranda v. Arizona
(1966)
-self-incrimination
New London v. Kelo
(2005)
-eminent domain
Abbate v. United States
(1958)
-double jeopardy
Sixth Amendment:
Case
-Topic
Gideon v. Wainwright
(1963)
-right to an attorney
Lewis v. United States
(1996)
-right to trial by jury
Eighth Amendment:
Case
-Topic
Gregg v. Georgia (1976)
-death penalty
Atkins v. Virginia (2003)
AND Roper v. Simmons
(2005)
-death penalty mental
handicap and minors
Description
Ruling
A man arrested and taken to jail
was interrogated for over 2 hours
before confessing to the crime.
He was not told he could have an
attorney present or that he had
the right to remain silent. The
confession was used at trial to
convict him.
A city used its eminent domain
authority to seize private
property to sell to private
developers. It claimed this would
create jobs and increase tax
revenues, benefitting the public.
Men convicted of a crime in
Illinois (state court) were charged
by the US (federal court) for the
same crime since it could have
impacted federal facilities.
Description
Ruling
A man was arrested and charged
with breaking and entering. He
had no money to pay for a lawyer
and requested one at court. His
request was denied, and he was
convicted.
A postman was convicted of
stealing from the mail and
received multiple 6 month
sentences. (1 per incident) He
was sentenced by a judge with no
jury (bench trial) since the max
sentence was 6 months per
incident.
Description
A man received the death penalty
after being convicted of armed
robbery and murder.
(1) A mentally-handicapped man
(2) a 17-year-old committed
murder and was sentenced to
death.
Ruling