Us Supreme Court Cases

Us Supreme Court Cases

1. 14th amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens of the United States and the state in which they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law that goes against the privileges or immunities of citizens nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law. This amendement secures our freedom.

2. 4th amendment: protects people from unreasonable searches and seizes by the government. This amendment ensures citizens that we are safe in our own properties.

   • 5th amendment: "the right to remain silent" The 5th amendment protects citizens from being compelled by the government to provide incriminating information about oneself.
     • 6th amendment: Everyone has a right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the State and district where the crime was committed. This amendment also gives us the right to have a lawyer and to know who our accusers are and the nature of the charges.

3. 1st amendment case: Engel V. Vitale: The New York State Board of Regents authorized a short, voluntary prayer at the start of each school day. A group of organizations came together to challenge the prayer saying that it violated the first amendment. The New York Court of Appeals rejected their argument. In an opinion authored by Hugo L. Black, the court held that respondents decision to recite prayer at school did in fact violate the Establishment Clause. The court ruled that the constitutional prohibition of laws establishing religion had no right drafting formal prayers onto government ran schoolgrounds. This case is important because many people were involved and it stopped prayers from happening in public schools in the United States.

   • 2nd amendment case: Caetano v. Massachusetts: Jamie Caetano was convicted of possession of a stun gun in Massachusetts State court. She claimed that she carried the gun for self defense. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts decided that a stun gun is not eligible for Second Amendment protection. This case is important because it helped to clarify that stun guns in fact are not eligible for self protection and it helped to solidify that into the law.
   • 4th amendment case: New Jersey V. T.L.O : T.L.O was a high school student who got her bag searched for cigarettes. The school officials found cigarettes, weed and a list of people who owed her money. T.L.O was charged with possession of marijuana. The New Jersey Supreme Court held that the exclusionary rule of the Fourth amendment applies to searches and seizures conducted by school officials in public schools as long as it is done with reasonable cause. The court held that the search of T.L.O's bag was reasonable under the circumstances. This case is important because it gave clarity on how the 4th amendment should and should not be used in public schools.
   • 5th amendment case: Malloy V. Hogan: Malloy was arrested during a gambling raid and plead guilty to pool selling and was sentenced to one year in jail and fined $500. A Superior Court appointed referee ordered Malloy to testify about gambling 16 months after his plea. Malloy refused because it could incriminate himself. He was then imprisoned for contempt and held until willing to answer questions. Malloy filed a habeas corpus petition. On appeal from the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors ruling, the court granted certiorari. The court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment secures defendants against self incrimination. This case is important because it compels states to establish guilt based on what the person is willing to say and it established protection against self incrimination.
     • 6th amendment case: Scott V. Illinois: Scott was convicted of shoplifting and fined $50. The statute applicable to his case set the maximum penalty at $500 fine and/or one year in jail. States can only sentence a convicted criminal to imprisonment if the person was represented by counsel. Since Scott was not sentenced to prison, the state was not obligated to provide counsel. This case is important because it provided protection to the court on what cases should be supported and what cases should not be supported by counsel.
       • 8th amendment case: Graham V. Florida: At 16 years old, Graham was convicted of armed burglary and attempted armed robbery. He served a 12 month sentence and was released. Six months later he was tried and convicted by a Florida state court for armed robbery and sentenced to life in prison without parole. On appeal, he argued that a life sentence on a juvenile without parole is cruel and unusual punishment and the court disagreed. The court then concluded that life sentences for juveniles for non-homicidal crimes has been" rejected the world over." The court concluded that the punishment in question was unconstitutional. This is an important case because Graham could have spent his life in jail unreasonably. It helped the United States to declare that life sentences for non homicidal charges are not allowed for juveniles.