Supreme Court Cases from the Warren and Berger Courts
Earl Warren
Brown v. Board of Education of the City of Topeka (1954) Overturns Plessy. “We conclude that
in the field of public education the doctrine of “separate but equal” has no place.”
Cooper v. Aaron (1958) Little Rock cannot postpone the integration of its schools because that
would violate the rights of the black students under the Equal Protection Clause, and governors and
state legislatures are bound under the Supremacy Clause to uphold the decision of the Supreme
Court.
Mapp v. Ohio (1961) Overturned a state court decision based on evidence obtained by
unreasonable search and seizure.
Baker v. Carr (1962) reapportionment-one man, one vote principle for Congressional districts.
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) Legal counsel must be provided all defendants charged with a crime.
Escobedo v. Illinois (1964) The police must honor an arrested person’s request that a lawyer be
present during a police interrogation.
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) Court overturns a CT law banning use of contraceptives as
infringing on the right to privacy of married persons. Gives unenumerated right of privacy
constitutional status.
Miranda v. Arizona (1966) An arrested person must be read his or her rights. Continues trend of
protecting the accused.
THE ACTIVIST WARREN COURT WAS COMMITTED TO DEMOCRATIC PROCEDURES,
JUSTICE AND INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES (SUCH AS THE RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED) AND
TO THE CONCEPT OF DOING WHAT WAS MORALLY RIGHT.
Warren Burger
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education (1970) The Court sanctions virtually any
method including forced busing to desegregate schools.
Roe et al v. Wade, District Attorney of Dallas County (1973) The Court legalizes abortion in the
first trimester and with a doctor’s permission in the second trimester, but in the third trimester, only
legal if the mother’s life is in danger.
US v. Nixon (1974) The Court unanimously orders Nixon to turn over the Watergate tapes.
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) Bakke claims reverse discrimination. The
Court orders him admitted to med school, but also upholds the university’s use of race to ensure a
diverse student body.