Best Answer
U.S. Supreme Court rulings that have a significant impact on society are often referred to as
"Landmark decisions" or "Landmark cases". The following list summarizes a few cases that had
the most significant impact on history and society. You can access a longer list of cases via
Related Questions, below.
1. 1803 Marbury v. Madison
Upheld the right of Marbury to occupy the position of
justice of the peace of a certain district because the
President (Madison) signed and sealed the
appointment, despite Congress' attempt to block the
appointment. This was the first time the Supreme
Court formally defined its role as a court of review.
They also admonished Congress for trying to
legislate greater authority to the Court than the
Constitution allowed.
2. 1819 McCullough v. Maryland
Upheld the constitutionality of the Bank of the
United States, based on the "spirit of the
Constitution," rather than on a literal interpretation of
the articles.
3. 1824 Gibbons v. Ogden
Invalidated a monopoly enacted by New York state
with regard to operating steamboats in state waters.
Established the principle that Federal law supersedes
state law.
4. 1832 Worcester v. Georgia
Declares a Georgia state law requiring residents of
Cherokee territory to obtain a permit for living on the
land because the demand conflicted with a federal
treaty.
5. 1841 Amistad
Freed Africans who had been enslaved in violation of
Spanish law, and who had mutinied against the
captain and crew of the Spanish ship, Amistad.
6. 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford
Ruled neither slave nor free African-Americans were
citizens of the United States, and were not entitled to
sue in federal court. Also ruled that freemen traveling
through slave-holding states had no right to freedom
if captured. Also ruled the Missouri Compromise
unconstitutional because it deprived people of
property without due process.
7. 1866 Ex Parte Milligan
Declared military courts unconstitutional in areas
where civil courts were in operation. Stated the U.S.
Constitution applies regardless of peace or war.
8. 1873 Slaughterhouse Cases
Ruled that the 14th Amendment applied only to
federal violations of individual rights, and that states
were exempt. Also held that equal protection applied
only to state laws discriminating against AfricanAmericans.
9. 1875 Civil Rights Cases
Held that Congress had no right to impose laws
requiring equal treatment for African-Americans on
private businesses.
10. 1877 Munn v. Illinois
First of the "Granger Cases."Upheld states' rights to
regulate businesses that involved the public interest.
11. 1886 Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific RR v.
Illinois
Struck down a state law regulating transportation
contracts because the federal government held sole
jurisdiction over interstate commerce.
12. 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson
Famous decision that allowed "separate but equal"
accommodations for African-Americans and Whites,
on the grounds that segregation didn't deprive
African-Americans of protection under the 14th
Amendment.
13. 1905 Lochner v. New York
Struck down a state law enforcing 10-hour workdays
on bakery workers because it interfered with the
employees' 14th Amendment right to liberty by
denying employees the ability to negotiate
employment contracts with their employer.
14. 1919 Schenck v. United States
Ruled that the WW I Espionage Act did not violate
the First Amendment protection of free speech,
stating that anti-war pamphlets encouraged resistance
to the draft. This was the famous case that cited
"clear and present danger" as a reasonable restriction
on free speech.
15. 1925 Gitlow v. New York
In contrast to the Court's earlier rulings that the
Constitution only applied to the federal government,
decided the 14th Amendment made the First
Amendment protection of speech and the press
applicable to the states.
16. 1932 Powell v. Alabama
Overturned the Alabama state conviction of the
"Scottsboro Boys," nine African-American boys
convicted in the rape of two white women because
the boys had been denied due process when the judge
declined to provide them with a defense attorney.
17. 1935 Schechter v. United States
Struck down the National Industrial Recovery Act
because it delegated excessive authority of the U.S.
President to regulate businesses not involved in
interstate commerce.
18. 1937 West Coast Hotel v. Parrish
In support of Roosevelt's New Deal, the Court
reversed its position Adkins v. Children's Hospital,
and upheld a Washington State minimum wage law.
19. 1937 National Labor Relations Board v. Jones
and Laughlin Steel Co.
Upheld the National Labor Relations Act against a
manufacturer that engaged in unfair labor practices
by punishing or firing union members in an attempt
to break the union.
20. 1943 Korematsu v. United States
Upheld the U.S. policy of holding Japanese
Americans in interment camps, except in the case
where the person's loyalty had already been
established.
21. 1952 Youngstown Sheet & Tube v. Sawyer
Ruled that President Truman exceeded his authority
by seizing steel manufacturers without the specific
approval of Congress, in order to avert a strike by the
United Steel Workers of America that would have
disrupted arms production during the Korean War.
(Also referred to as The Steel Seizure Case)
22. 1954 Brown v. Board of Education
Ruled unanimously that segregation in the schools
was unconstitutional, a move that overturned the
1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision advocating
"separate but equal" facilities for African-American
and White citizens. Held that Brown experienced
stigmatizing discrimination when denied enrollment
in a school near her home.
23. 1961 Mapp v. Ohio
Ruled that evidence obtained without a warrant or by
any other unethical means was a 4th Amendment
violation, and that the evidence may not be admitted
in court.
24. 1962 Baker v. Carr
The court reversed its stance on cases involving
"political questions," that cannot be tried in court, and
decided citizens had a right to challenge political
redistricting that overrepresented rural districts and
diluted votes from urban districts.
25. 1962 Engel v. Vitale
Ruled prayer in public schools unconstitutional
because it violated the separation of church and state.
26. 1963 School District of Abington Township v.
Schempp
Prohibited bible reading and prayer in public schools.
27. 1963 Gideon v. Wainwright
Unanimously ruled in favor of the plaintiff against
the decision of the Florida Supreme Court, holding
that the courts had violated Gideon's 6th Amendment
right to counsel and 14th Amendment right to due
process by refusing to appoint a defense attorney to
Gideon, who was indigent.
28. 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan
In one of the few Supreme Court cases involving
civil liability, held that public figures could not sue
for libel unless they could demonstrate the
defamation was "malicious intent and with reckless
disregard for the truth," a higher standard than
imposed for ordinary citizens.
29. 1965 Griswold v. Connecticut
Struck down a Connecticut law prohibiting couples
from using birth control because it violated the
constitutional right to privacy. Although the
Constitution does not specify a right to privacy, the
court held that the right is implied in a variety of
amendments.
30. 1966 Miranda v. Arizona
Ruled that Miranda should have been advised of his
constitutional rights against self-incrimination and
right to consult with an attorney prior to questioning.
Overturned the conviction and set precedent for the
now-famous Miranda Warning.
31. 1967 Loving v. Virginia
Invalidated a Virginia law prohibiting interracial
marriage as a violation of the 14th Amendment.
32. 1969 Tinker v. Des Moines
Overturned the suspension of students who had worn
black arm bands in protest of the Vietnam War,
declaring the school had violated their First
Amendment right to freedom of speech.
33. 1971 New York Times v. United States
Denied the government's request for prior restraint in
their attempt to bar the New York Times from
publishing a secret Pentagon history of the Vietnam
war.
34. 1972 Furman v. Georgia
Struck down death penalty laws because juries had
excessive discretion in applying capital punishment,
making capital punishment unconstitutional under the
8th and 14th Amendments.
35. 1973 Roe v. Wade
Invalidated Texas law prohibiting abortion except
when needed to save the mother's life. Ruled such
laws violate a woman's right to privacy.
36. 1974 United States v. Nixon
The Court ordered President Nixon to turn over
subpoenaed tapes to the special prosecutor in charge
of the Watergate hearings.
37. 1976 Gregg v. Georgia
Reinstated the death penalty, but required strict
guidelines for its implementation.
38. 1989 Texas v. Johnson
Invalidated a Texas law that prohibited burning the
flag on the grounds that it represented an
unconstitutional restriction on expressive conduct and
political commentary.
39. 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey
In a challenge to Roe v. Wade, the court reaffirmed
its position that abortion prior to the fetus being able
to live outside the womb was not a criminal offense.
40. 2000 Bush v. Gore
Ruled in favor of the stay preventing Florida from
counting legal ballots where the intent of the voter
was considered unclear (e.g., hanging chads).
Concluded that the recount would change the state
voting process to favor one candidate over another
and was, therefore, unconstitutional in that it failed to
provide equal protection.
41. 2003 Lawrence v. Texas
Ruled the state could not interfere in private lives by
making sexual acts between consenting adults a
crime. Struck down the Texas statute as a violation of
the 5th and 14th Amendments. This decision
overruled the Courts own ruling on Bowers v.
Hardwick, 1986.
42. 2003 Grutter v. Bollinger
Held that race can be a consideration in deciding
college enrollment, but that schools could not use a
quota system in order to achieve a model that
mirrored minorities' statistical representation in the
population (University of Michigan Law School).
43. 2004 Hamdi v. Rumsfeld
Ruled that persons retained as "enemy combatants"
had a legal right to challenge their classification,
despite a presidential order stating otherwise. Further
ruled that Sixth Amendment protection did not
extend to prisoners of war.
44. 2010 McDonald v. City of Chicago
Held that US citizens had the right of self-defense (to
bear arms) and incorporated the Second Amendment
to the States. Similar to District of Columbia v.
Heller, but applied to the states, not just the federal
government as Heller did.