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List of United States Supreme Court cases

This is a chronological list of notable cases decided by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Contents

1 1790–1819 2 1820–1839 3 1840–1859 4 1860–1879 5 1880–1899 6 1900–1919 7 1920–1939 8 1940–1959 9 1960–1979 10 1980–1999 11 2000–present 12 Cases awaiting decision

1790–1819

• Chisholm v. Georgia, 2 U.S. 419 (1793): first “major” case; federal jurisdiction over suits vs. states
• Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803): judicial review of laws enacted by Congress
• Stuart v. Laird, 5 U.S. 299 (1803): enforceability of rulings issued by judges who have since been removed from office
• Ex Parte Bollman, 8 U.S. 75 (1807): habeas corpus, definition of treason, Supreme Court’s power to issue writs to circuit courts
• Fletcher v. Peck, 10 U.S. 87 (1810): property rights
• Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee, 14 U.S. 304 (1816): Loyalist property forfeiture, Supreme Court review of state court judgments
• McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819): doctrine of implied powers
• Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward, 17 U.S. 518 (1819): impairment of contracts

1820–1839

• Cohens v. Virginia, 19 U.S. 264 (1821): judicial review of state supreme court decisions
• Gibbons v. Ogden, 22 U.S. 1 (1824): Congressional power to regulate interstate commerce
• Ogden v. Saunders, 25 U.S. 213 (1827): state bankruptcy law
• Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 30 U.S. 1 (1831): Indian nations as foreign states
• Worcester v. Georgia, 31 U.S. 515 (1832): Indian removal
• Barron v. Baltimore, 32 U.S. 243 (1833): reach of the Bill of Rights
• Wheaton v. Peters, 33 U.S. 591 (1834): copyright perpetuity; common law copyright

1840–1859

• United States v. The Amistad, 40 U.S. 518 (1841): slave trade and slave ownership (see Amistad)
• Prigg v. Pennsylvania, 41 U.S. 539 (1842): runaway slaves
• Dred Scott v. Sandford, 60 U.S. 393 (1856): slavery, citizenship

1860–1879

• Ex Parte Milligan, 71 U.S. 2 (1866): habeas corpus, military tribunals
• Ex Parte Garland, 71 U.S. 333 (1866): retroactive civil disability for former Confederate officers
• Ex Parte McCardle, 74 U.S. 506 (1868): congressional power to limit Supreme Court’s appellate jurisdiction
• Texas v. White, 74 U.S. 700 (1869): constitutionality of state secession
• United States v. Klein, 80 U.S. 128 (1871): separation of powers
• Slaughterhouse Cases, 83 U.S. 36 (1872): freedom of employment
• Bradwell v. The State (of Illinois), 83 U.S. 130 (1872): equal protection, exclusion of women from employment
• Minor v. Happersett, 88 U.S. 162 (1874): Fourteenth Amendment and the right to vote
• United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542 (1875): application of the First and Second Amendments to the states
• Munn v. Illinois, 94 U.S. 113 (1876): corporations and agricultural regulation
• Reynolds v. United States, 98 U.S. 145 (1878): polygamy and freedom of religion

1880–1899

• Civil Rights Cases, 109 U.S. 3 (1883)
• Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad, 118 U.S. 394 (1886)
• Wabash v. Illinois, 118 U.S. 557 (1886): regulation of interstate commerce by individual states
• Dent v. West Virginia, 129 U.S. 114 (1889): state licensing of doctors
• Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad v. Minnesota, 134 U.S. 418 (1890): states and railway fees
• Nix v. Hedden, 149 U.S. 304 (1893): status of the tomato as fruit or vegetable
• United States v. E. C. Knight Co., 156 U.S. 1 (1895): antitrust action; “Sugar Trust Case”
• In re Debs, 158 U.S. 564 (1895): strikes and interstate commerce
• Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan & Trust Co., 158 U.S. 601 (1895): income tax and tariffs
• Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896): segregation; “separate but equal”
• United States v. Trans-Missouri Freight Association, 166 U.S. 290 (1897): railroads and rate fixing
• Holden v. Hardy, 169 U.S. 366 (1898)
• Hawker v. New York, 170 U.S. 189 (1898): character and doctor’s licenses
• United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898): citizenship and race
• Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education, 175 U.S. 528 (1899): segregation in public schools

1900–1919

• Insular Cases, (numerous): constitutional status of Puerto Rico and the Philippines
  • DeLima v. Bidwell, 182 U.S. 1 (1901)
  • Goetze v. United States, 182 U.S. 221 (1901)
  • Armstrong v. United States, 182 U.S. 243 (1901)
  • Downes v. Bidwell, 182 U.S. 244 (1901)
  • Huus v. New York & Porto Rico S.S. Co., 182 U.S. 392 (1901)
  • Dooley v. United States, 183 U.S. 151 (1901)
  • Fourteen Diamond Rings v. United States, 183 U.S. 176 (1901)
• Hawaii v. Manikichi, 190 U.S. 197 (1903), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
• Kepner v. United States, 195 U.S. 100 (1904), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
• Dorr v. United States, 195 U.S. 138 (1904), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
• Gonzales v. Williams, 192 U.S. 1 (1904): Puerto Ricans and illegal aliens
• Rasmussen v. United States, 197 U.S. 516 (1905), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
• Lochner v. New York, 198 U.S. 45 (1905): freedom of contract, substantive due process
• Hale v. Henkel, 201 U.S. 43 (1906): witness testimony in antitrust cases
• Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. v. Riggs, 203 U.S. 243 (1906)
• Adair v. United States, 208 U.S. 161 (1908): “yellow-dog” contracts
• Muller v. Oregon, 208 U.S. 412 (1908): protective labor laws, protection of women
• Bobbs-Merrill Co v. Straus, 210 U.S. 339 (1908): extension of copyright holder rights by use of licenses
• Berea College v. Kentucky, 211 U.S. 45 (1908): state laws and segregation of educational facilities
• United States v. Grimaud, 220 U.S. 506 (1911): control of forest reserves
• Dowdell v. United States, 221 U.S. 325 (1911), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
• Bauer & Cie. v. O'Donnell, 229 U.S. 1 (1913): extensions of patents by use of licenses, rights of copyright holder regarding “use” of copyrighted works
• Ocampo v. United States, 234 U.S. 91 (1914), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
• Guinn v. United States, 238 U.S. 347 (1915)
• Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad (1916)
• Buchanan v. Warley, 245 U.S. 60 (1917): racial segregation using restrictive covenants
• Hammer v. Dagenhart, 247 U.S. 251 (1918): Congressional power to regulate child labor under the Commerce Clause
• International News Service v. Associated Press, 248 U.S. 215 (1918): property rights in news
• Schenck v. United States, 249 U.S. 47 (1919): freedom of speech, “clear and present danger”
• Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616 (1919): validity of criminalizing criticism of the government

1920–1939

• Missouri v. Holland, 252 U.S. 416 (1920): states’ rights
• Balzac v. Porto Rico[sic], 258 U.S. 298 (1922), sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
• Adkins v. Children’s Hospital, 261 U.S. 525 (1923): freedom of contract, minimum wage laws
• United States v. Ninety-Five Barrels (More or Less) Alleged Apple Cider Vinegar, 265 U.S. 438 (1924): legality of misleading but factually accurate packaging statements under the Food and Drug Act
• Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925): privacy
• Gitlow v. New York, 268 U.S. 652 (1925)
• Myers v. United States, 272 U.S. 52 (1926)
• Buck v. Bell, 274 U.S. 200 (1927): compulsory sterilization, eugenics
• Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927)
• Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931): freedom of speech
• New State Ice Co. v. Liebmann, 285 U.S. 262 (1932)
• Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45 (1932)
• Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, 295 U.S. 495 (1935): interstate commerce, New Deal
• West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish, 300 U.S. 379 (1937): freedom of contract, minimum wage laws; “the switch in time that saved nine”
• National Labor Relations Board v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation, 301 U.S. 1 (1937): interstate commerce; another consequence of “the switch in time that saved nine”
• Connecticut General Life Insurance Company v. Johnson, 303 U.S. 77 (1938)
• United States v. Carolene Products Co., 304 US 144 (1938): interstate commerce, substantive due process, and (in footnote four) equal protection
• United States v. Miller, 307 U.S. 174 (1939)

1940–1959

• Chambers v. Florida, 309 U.S. 227 (1940)
• Edwards v. California, 314 U.S. 160 (1941): Commerce Clause
• Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 315 U.S. 568 (1942): fighting words
• Betts v. Brady, 316 U.S. 455 (1942)
• Skinner v. Oklahoma, 316 U.S. 535 (1942): compulsory sterilization, eugenics
• Wickard v. Filburn, 317 U.S. 111 (1942) : Commerce Clause
• Smith v. Allwright, 321 U.S. 649 (1944): voting rights, segregation
• Korematsu v. United States, 323 U.S. 214 (1944): internment of Japanese
• Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1 (1947): First Amendment, establishment of religion
• Shelley v. Kraemer, 334 U.S. 1 (1948): equal protection, racial covenants
• United States v. National City Lines Inc., 334 U.S. 573 (1948): General Motors streetcar conspiracy
• Wheeling Steel Corp. v. Glander, 337 U.S. 562 (1949): due process (Fourteenth Amendment), Commerce Clause
• Wolf v. Colorado, 338 U.S. 25 (1949): Fourteenth Admendment, state court, evidence from unreasonable search and seizure
• Sweatt v. Painter, 339 U.S. 629 (1950): segregation, separate but equal
• McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950): Fourteenth Amendment, segregation
• Dennis v. United States, 341 U.S. 494 (1951): First Amendment and the Smith Act
• Rochin v. California, 342 U.S. 165 (1952): restriction of police power
• Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306 (1952): release time programs
• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954): segregation, “separate inherently inequal”
• Bolling v. Sharpe, 347 U.S. 497 (1954): segregation
• Griffin v. Illinois, 351 U.S. 12 (1956): access to court transcript for indigent appeals
• Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476 (1957): obscenity
• NAACP v. Alabama, 357 U.S. 449 (1958): freedom of association, privacy of membership lists
• Speiser v. Randall, 357 U.S. 513 (1958)

1960–1979

• Boynton v. Virginia, 364 U.S. 454 (1960): racial segregation
• McGowan v. Maryland, 366 U.S. 420 (1961): constitutionality of laws with religious origins but secular purposes
• Torcaso v. Watkins, 367 U.S. 488 (1961): oaths, religious test, First Amendment
• Mapp v. Ohio, 367 U.S. 643 (1961): search and seizure, exclusionary rule
• Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186 (1962): reapportionment issues
• Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962): school prayer
• Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963): right to counsel
• Douglas v. California, 372 U.S. 353 (1963): Fourteenth Amendment; right of poor defendants to criminal court appeals
• Abington School District v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203 (1963): constitutionality of mandatory bible reading in public schools
• Wesberry v. Sanders, 376 U.S. 1 (1964): “one man, one vote”
• New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964): freedom of speech, libel
• Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964): “one man, one vote” (state senates)
• Jacobellis v. Ohio, 378 U.S. 184 (1964): “I know [obscenity] when I see it[.]” – Justice Potter Stewart
• Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States, 379 U.S. 241 (1964): interstate commerce, civil rights, public accommodations
• Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965): privacy, birth control
• Memoirs v. Massachusetts, 383 U.S. 413 (1966): obscenity
• Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections, 383 U.S. 663 (1966)
• Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966): self-incrimination (“right to remain silent”)
• In Re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967): due process, juveniles
• Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967): interracial marriage
• Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1 (1968): search and seizure, power of police to stop and frisk suspicious persons
• Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969): freedom of speech in public schools
• Street v. New York, 394 U.S. 576 (1969)
• Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, 395 U.S. 367 (1969): Fairness Doctrine, broadcaster responsibilities, freedom of speech
• Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969): freedom of speech, incitement to riot
• Goldberg v. Kelly, 397 U.S. 254 (1970): procedural due process, hearing requirement
• Walz v. Tax Commission of the City of New York, 397 U.S. 664 (1970): tax exemption for churches
• Griggs v. Duke Power Co., 401 U.S. 424 (1971): employment discrimination; disparate effect of employer practices
• Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, 402 U.S. 1 (1971): busing authorized to establish school desegregation
• Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971): freedom of speech, fighting words/obscenity, “fuck the draft”
• Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602 (1971): establishment of religion, schools, the “Lemon test”
• New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971): freedom of the press, national security, Pentagon Papers
• Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 (1972): freedom of religion, high school education
• Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972): death penalty, cruel and unusual punishment
• Perry v. Sindermann, 408 U.S. 593 (1972): First Amendment; defacto professor tenure
• Branzburg v. Hayes, 408 U.S. 665 (1972): First Amendment; grand jury, journalists’ rights
• Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973): abortion, due process, privacy
• Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973): freedom of speech, Miller test for obscenity
• Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974): freedom of speech
• United States v. Nixon, 418 U.S. 683 (1974): judicial review, executive privilege, separation of powers
• Milliken v. Bradley, 418 U.S. 717 (1974): segregation, busing
• Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976): death penalty
• Stump v. Sparkman, 435 U.S. 349 (1978): judicial immunity
• Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978): racial discrimination, affirmative action
• FCC v. Pacifica Foundation, 438 U.S. 726 (1978): obscenity, FCC policing of obscenity

1980–1999

• Diamond v. Chakrabarty, 447 U.S. 303 (1980): patentability of genetically modified organisms
• Consolidated Edison Co. v. Public Serv. Comm'n, 447 U.S. 530 (1980): freedom of speech (companies including information inserts with bills)
• United States v. Lee, 455 U.S. 252 (1982): religious opposition to participation in Social Security
• Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982): illegal immigrants and public education
• Bob Jones University v. United States, 461 U.S. 574 (1983): freedom of religion and tax exemptions
• Michigan v. Long, 463 U.S. 1032 (1983): “adequate and independent state ground”
• Sony Corp. v. Universal City Studios, 464 U.S. 417 (1984): copyright, VCR “time-shifting”, fair use
• Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668 (1984): public religious display on private property
• Bernal v. Fainter, 467 U.S. 216 (1984): citizenship of notaries public
• Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority, 469 U.S. 528 (1985): application of minimum wage laws to state governments
• Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38 (1985): school sponsorship of voluntary religious observances
• Thornton v. Calder, 472 U.S. 703 (1985): constitutionality of Sabbath laws
• Dowling v. United States, 473 U.S. 207 (1985): copyright infringement as theft
• Witters v. Washington Department of Services For the Blind, 474 U.S. 481 (1985): constitutionality of public aid paid directly to students of Christian colleges
• Nix v. Whiteside, 475 U.S. 157 (1986): attorney-client privilege
• Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986): peremptory challenge, racial discrimination
• Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57 (1986)
• Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186 (1986): homosexuality; (later reversed), see also Lawrence v. Texas (2003)
• Edwards v. Aguillard, 482 U.S. 578 (1987): constitutionality of mandating teaching of creation science in conjunction with theory of evolution
• South Dakota v. Dole, 483 U.S. 203 (1987): use of federal funding to encourage changes in state laws
• Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260 (1988): freedom of speech in school newspaper
• Hustler Magazine v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46 (1988): First Amendment; parody, emotional distress
• Lying v. Northwest Indian CPA, 485 U.S. 439 (1988): religious rights of Native American vs. public interest
• Morrison v. Olson, 487 U.S. 654 (1988): independent counsel’s office
• Community For Creative Non-Violence v. Reid, 490 U.S. 730 (1989): copyright, work for hire
• Martin v. Wilks, 490 U.S. 755 (1989)
• Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989): freedom of speech (flag burning)
• Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, 492 U.S. 490 (1989): abortion rights
• Maryland v. Craig, 497 U.S. 836 (1990): the right of criminal defendants to confront witnesses
• United States v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 (1990): freedom of speech (flag burning)
• Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service Co, 499 U.S. 340 (1991): creativity required for copyright protection
• R. A. V. v. City of St. Paul, 505 U.S. 377 (1992): fighting words, hate speech
• Lee v. Weisman, 505 U.S. 577 (1992)
• Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992): abortion
• Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. City of Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520 (1993): animal cruelty, freedom of religion
• Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School District, 508 U.S. 384 (1993): access by religious groups to public school facilities
• Alexander v. United States, 509 U.S. 544 (1993)
• Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, 510 U.S. 569 (1994): copyright, commercial fair use is possible, parody
• United States v. Shabani, 513 U.S. 10 (1994): criminal conspiracy only requires agreement and does not require an overt act
• United States v. Alfonso Lopez, Jr., 514 U.S. 549 (1995): interstate commerce, gun-free school zones
• Adarand Constructors v. Peña, 515 U.S. 200 (1995): race-based set-asides must meet strict scrutiny test
• Rosenberger v. University of Virginia, 515 U.S. 819 (1995): discrimination by state universities against student religious organizations
• 44 Liquormart, Inc. v. State of Rhode Island, 517 U.S. 484 (1996): restrictions of promotion of alcohol
• Romer v. Evans, 517 US 620 (1996): equal protection, homosexuality
• Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U.S. 844 (1997): free speech, obscenity, CDA
• Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, 523 U.S. 75 (1998): sexual harassment by same sex unlawful
• Hunt v. Cromartie, 526 U.S. 541 (1999): gerrymandering
• Florida Prepaid Postsecondary Education Expense Board v. College Savings Bank, 527 U.S. 627 (1999): sovereign immunity of the states

2000–present

• United States v. Morrison 2000
• Boy Scouts of America v. Dale 2000: right of free association, homosexuality
• Bush v. Gore 2000: vote recounts in presidential election
• Easley v. Cromartie 2001: racial discrimination, gerrymandering
• Republican Party of Minnesota v. White 2002: election of state judges, freedom of speech
• Eldred v. Ashcroft 2003: copyright duration
• Grutter v. Bollinger 2003: racial discrimination, affirmative action, equal protection
• Gratz v. Bollinger 2003: racial discrimination, affirmative action, equal protection
• Lawrence v. Texas 2003: liberty, due process, homosexuality
• McConnell v. FEC 2003: First Amendment; political speech
• Doe v. Chao 2004: governmental violation of privacy rights
• Intel Corp. v. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. 2004: foreign tribunals
• Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow 2004: validity of “under God” in Pledge of Allegiance; standing to bring suit on another’s behalf.
• Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial District Court of Nevada 2004: constitutionality of state law requiring citizens to identify themselves to police.
• Hamdi v. Rumsfeld 2004: detention of American citizens
• Rasul v. Bush 2004: jurisdiction over foreign nationals detained in Guantanamo Bay
• Blakely v. Washington 2004: right to jury trial, judge-enhanced criminal sentences

Cases awaiting decision

• Central Laborers’ Pension Fund v. Heinz 2004: an ambiguity in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
• Department of Transportation v. Public Citizen 2004: Presidential foreign affairs and foreign trade Actions
• Rumsfeld v. Padilla 2004: detention of American citizens
• Small v. United States: resolution of split appeals court decisions on inclusion of foreign courts in the term “any court”
• United States v. Benitez 2004: the responsibility of a defendant in the case of a violation of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11
• Ashcroft v. Raich 2004: legitimacy of using marijuana as a medicine, and power of the federal government to regulate intrastate activities.

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