1. Marbury v. Madison (1803)
It was the case that established judicial review, meaning the power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
2. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
This case ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. It was one of the landmark cases for civil rights and a blow to the doctrine of “separate but equal.”
3. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Although later overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, this case upheld racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine.
4. Roe v. Wade (1973)
Also read:
- https://primelegalguide.com/30-common-misconceptions-about-civil-law-explained/
- https://primelegalguide.com/40-steps-to-resolving-a-civil-law-case-from-filing-to-resolution/
- https://primelegalguide.com/20-frequently-asked-questions-about-civil-law-disputes-answered/
This case legalized abortion across the United States, establishing a woman’s constitutional right to choose an abortion under certain circumstances.
5. Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)
This case established the First Amendment rights of students in public schools, especially the right to free speech, as long as it does not disrupt school operations.
6. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
This case established the right to counsel for indigent defendants in criminal cases, ensuring that everyone has access to legal representation.
7. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
This case enshrined the doctrine of federalism. It held that federal law is supreme over state legislation and vested implied powers on the federal government under the Constitution.
8. Kelo v. City of New London (2005)
This case confirmed the power of eminent domain, in furtherance of economic development, to allow governments to confiscate private property for governmental use, consistent with just compensation
9. Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
This brought about the development of the “Miranda rights,” which dictates that law enforcers inform people of their rights to keep silent and their right to counsel during interrogations.
10. Loving v. Virginia (1967)
It is the case in which laws on banning interracial marriages were struck down; the court decided that such was unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
11. Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
This case created the constitutional right to privacy and declared that a state law banning contraceptives violated the right of marital privacy.
12. United States v. Windsor (2013)
This case declared that Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, and opened the doors for federal recognition of same-sex marriage.
13. New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964)
This case defined the “actual malice” standard for libel cases where public figures were concerned, hence safeguarding freedom of speech and the press in accordance with the First Amendment.
14. Lochner v. New York, 1905
This case set a limitation on how the government was to regulate the workplace, mainly on labor-related legislation. This was later repealed but is very significant in labor law history.
15. Hernandez v. Texas, 1954
This case extended anti-discrimination protections to Mexican-Americans, holding that they could not be barred from juries based on ethnicity.
16. Shelley v. Kraemer (1948)
This case held that courts could not enforce racially restrictive covenants in property deeds, a landmark victory in the fight against housing discrimination.
17. Furman v. Georgia (1972)
This case put a temporary stay on the death penalty in the United States. It declared the death penalty applied arbitrarily and discriminated.
18. Bakke v. Regents of the University of California 1978
In this case, the racial quota for college admission was declared unconstitutional. The case ruled that race should be used when admitting to a college or university.
19. Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
This decision held that the corporations and the unions can spend unlimited amounts in political campaigns and has greatly altered the campaign finance laws.
20. Roper v. Simmons (2005)
This judgment abolished the death penalty for the minors, ruling that the execution of those who were under 18 years at the time of committing the crime was cruel and unusual punishment.
21. Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. White (2006)
This case expanded the protections against retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which covers employees who complain about workplace discrimination.
22. Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co. (1928)
This case created a rule known as the foreseeability test in the law of negligence, determining the bounds of a defendant’s liability for damages arising from what he has done.
23. Hadley v. Baxendale (1854)
A landmark case in contract law that set out the rule of consequential damages: damages for breach of contract should be foreseeable at the time the contract is made.
24. Kirkpatrick v. St. Louis Southwestern Railway Co. (1910)
This case resolved the legal principles related to personal injury claims, particularly those involving railroad accidents and negligence.
25. Wilkins v. United States (1953)
This is a case that considered the principles of tort law and negligence, specifically the cases touching upon government liability for injuries caused by public infrastructure.
This set of cases together gives foundational insights into civil law principles about rights and liability and equality and the protection of citizens under the law. Understanding them is important to those considering civil law, be it the legal professional or just the ordinary citizen.
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