Landmark cases of the Supreme Court

Marshall Court: John Marshall was the Chief justice (1801–1835) whose court opinions helped make the Supreme Court a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches. *Marbury v. Madison(1803)- Midnight judges- established judicial review *McCulloch v. Maryland(1819)- Can states tax Federal banks? (no)- established federal supremacy *Dartmouth College v. Woodward(1819)- Can state change a private institutions charter?(no)- established federal supremacy *Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)- State v. federal license- established federal supremacy

Civil war & Reconstruction era cases: *Dred Scott v. Sanford(1857)- Do slaves in free territory become free? Court ruled he was not a citizen therefore could not sue in federal court. *Ex parte Milligan(1866)- Could the government set up military courts in areas free of rebellion and in which civilian courts still operated? Court ruled against the government- expanded civil liberties *Plessy v. Ferguson(1896)- Established the “Separate but equal” doctrine

Industrial era cases: *Munn v. Illinois(1877)-Did the Constitution permit a state to regulate privately owned businesses? (yes) allowed state to fix a maximum rate for storage of grain *Northern Securities Company et al. v. U.S(1904)- Could the U.S regulate the activities of huge companies (yes) “combination in restraint of interstate…commerce” violated Sherman Anti-Trust Act

Progressive era cases: *Lochner v. NY(1905)- “Liberty of contract” Supreme Court rejected the argument that the law was necessary to protect the health of bakers- violation of the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. *Muller v. Oregon(1908)-Louis Brandeis argued that the Oregon law was a reasonable attempt to protect public health and safety. He presented sociological, medical and statistical information to show the harmful effect of long hours on women.

WWI & WWII cases: *Schenck v. U.S (1919)- 1st amendment v Espionage Act- During times of war Constitutional rights are not absolute “clear and present danger” doctrine *Korematsu v. U.S(1944)- Executive order 9066 internment camps Constitutional? Court upheld the Executive order

New Deal case: *Schechter Pooultry Corp. v. U.S(1935)- Sick chicken case- Court struck portions of the NRA as unconstitutional. Price & business practice controls on business not involved in interstate commerce. Led to court packing plan.

Civil rights and 1960s Warren court cases: *Brown v. Board of Ed of Topeka(1954)- Separate but equal- unconstitutional *Heart of Atlanta Motel v. U.S(1964)- Tested part of the civil rights act of 1964- Did the commerce power permit Congress to prohibit discrimination in privately owned accommodations open to the public? (yes) Motels discrimination obstructed interstate commerce.