AP US Government Unit 3 Court Cases

Sutton twins forbidden from being pilots due to myopia.
7-2 ruling for United Airlines.
ADA does not apply to correctable disabilities.

Affirmative action. Court ruled 5-4 for Bakke.
Affirmative action remained constitutional, but race quotes are not constitutional.

Gregg murdered two people and was condemned to death.
8th Amendment (cruel & unusual punishment).
7-2 in favour of Georgia.
Majority opinion - death penality is not cruel & unusual.
Reaffirms acceptance of death penalty.

Pennsylvania/Rhode Island established statutes providing funding to church schools.
1st Amendment (Establishment clause)
Unanimously ruled statutes unconstitutional.
Precedent -- Lemon Test, which allows Court to decide if religion/government are 'separate' enough.

Tinkers wore armbands protesting Vietnam War (symbolic speech)
Does 1st amendment protect symbolic speech in schools?
7-2 for Tinker
Majority - Schools need a valid reason to ban something
Precedent -- Symbolic speech protected in schools.

Miranda charged with rape/kidnapping; confessed, but interrogators did not inform him of his rights.
5th/6th Amendments
5-4 in favour of Miranda
Precedent -- Miranda Rights -- right to remain silent, right to attorney; police must inform people of rights before custody

Gideon couldn't afford a lawyer and was denied a state lawyer because he'd only committed a burglary.
6th Amendment is unclear - does it apply to the state?
Unanimous in favour of Gideon.
Majority -- 6th Amendment (due process/equal protection clauses) does apply to states.

Escobedo repeatedly denied his requests to see his lawyer and was never informed of Constitutional rights. After being misled, he made an incriminating statement.
5th/6th Amendments
5-4 in favour of Escobedo
Precedent -- Escobedo Rule -- criminal defendant has right to legal council once interrogation goes from general questioning to a specific, probable suspect.

Complaint that a prayer to 'almighty god' contrary to beliefs.
1st Amendment (Establishment clause)
6-1 vote against prayer in public schools
Majority - direct violation, NY is promoting a specific religion
Dissenting -- not mandatory prayer

Police searched Mapp's house without warrant, and she was arrested for having lewd materials.
4th Amendment/14th (Due Process clause)
6-3 in favour of Mapp
Majority -- evidence obtained illegally is inadmissible in a state court
Precedent -- Exclusionary rule -- states had to ignore evidence seized in violation of 4th Amendment.

Griswold, director of Planned Parenthood, arrested for providing contraception.
14th Amendment
7-2 in favour of Griswold
Majority -- Connecticut statutes invalidated by 14th Amendment.
Dissenting -- No 'right to marital privacy' in the Constitution.
(Griswold v. Connecticut later used in Roe v. Wade)

Pennsylvania legislature requires informed consent, 24-hour waiting period, husband consent, and parental permission for minors before abortions.
5-4 in favour of upholding Roe v. Wade. Husband notification declared unconstitutional.
Plurality opinion -- upheld essential parts of Roe v. Wade (stare decisis)
Precedent -- strengthens Roe v. Wade and establishes standard for judging what an 'undue burden' is in abortion laws.

Alabama permitted silence/prayer in schools
First Amendment (establishment clause); 14th Amendment (abridging privileges)
6-3 Jaffree, no prayer/Alabama laws unconstitutional
Majority -- no right to restrict religion/1st Amendment rights; statutes must have a clear secular purpose
Concurring -- 'endorsement test' -- do statutes endorse religion?

Brandenburg, KKK leader, made a speech using racist terms/making threats to government
1st Amendment free speech
Precedents of Witney v. California, Dennis v. US -- no free speech if threat to government, safety, public
Unanimous in favour of Brandenburg
Concurring -- 'clear and present danger' should not stand in 1st Amendment

Roe wanted an abortion which was illegal in Texas
14th Amendment (states cannot deny equal laws); 9th Amendment (privacy)
7-2 for Roe -- 14th Amendment allows woman to choose for child
State may regulate 2nd/3rd trimester abortions only as necessary
Dissenting -- not in Constitution.