AP GOV Court Cases – Flashcards

FACTS: Bible-reading in Pennsylvania public schools were at the beginning of the school day, students were required to read at least ten verses from the Bible. After, school authorities required all Abington Township students to recite the Lord's Prayer. ISSUE: Did this violate the 1st and 14th Amendment? RULING: Yes (In favor of Schempp)

FACTS: A Baltimore statute required Bible-reading or the recitation of the Lord's Prayer in public schools. Murray and his mother, professed atheists, challenged the prayer requirement. ISSUE: Did this violate their 1st and 14th Amendment rights? RULING: Yes (In favor of Murray)

FACTS: The school prohibited interracial dating and marriage. They were dedicated in believing in "fundamentalist Christian beliefs". The IRS gave the University money because of this and revoked taxes. ISSUE: Can the government prohibit race discrimination because of the First Amendment? RULING: Yes (In favor of U.S.)

FACTS: Near published a scandal sheet, he said local officials were involved with gangsters. Officials made a law to prevent Near from publishing his newspaper, The law said "engaged in the business" of regularly publishing or circulating an "obscene, lewd, and lascivious" or a "malicious, scandalous and defamatory" newspaper was guilty and could be ended. ISSUE: Does this violate the free press law in the 1st Amendment? RULING: Yes (in favor of Near)

FACTS: Gov. attempted to prevent the New York Times and Washington Post from publishing materials belonging to a classified Defense Department study regarding the history of United States activities in Vietnam and argued that it was to protect national security. ISSUE: Did this violate the 1st A? RULING: Yes (In favor of NY times)

FACTS: New York Times printed a full page article about that arrest of MLK jr was an attempt by Alabama to destroy his efforts to integrate. Sullivan filled a case against NYT. ISSUE: Did Alabama's law violate the 1st A? RULING: Yes. (in favor of NYT)

FACTS: Schenck sent letters to draftees in WWI, they urged the draftees not to go in to pressure but to have a peaceful action against the war. Schenk was charged with conspiracy. ISSUE: Are Schenck's actions protected by the 1st A? RULING: No (in favor of U.S.)

FACTS: Brandenburg, leader of KKK, made a speech and was arrested after because of an Ohio state law. ISSUE: Did this law violate Brandenburg's 1st and 14th amendment rights? RULING: Yes. (in favor of brandenburg.)

FACTS: Cops had a warrant, searched his home. They found tapes which turned out to be porn. He was tried and found guilty because of a Georgia state law. ISSUE: Did Georgia's law violate Stanley's 1st A rights? RULING: Yes. (In favor of Stanley)

FACTS:Miller produced "adult" material and was found guilty of violating California's state law about prohibiting this material. ISSUE: Is the sale of this protected by the 1st A? RULING: No. (In favor of Miller)

FACTS:Johnson burned a flag in protest. He was arrested under a Texas law outlawing flag desecration and sentenced one year and a 2,000 dollar fine. ISSUE: Is this protected by the 1st A? RULING: Yes (In favor of Johnson)

FACTS:Alabama wanted to have the lists of the NAACP members and agents. ISSUE: Did this violate the 14th A? RULING: Yes (In favor of NAACP)

FACTS: NSP was going to march through the town of Skokie. NSP was stopped. ISSUE: Was this a violation of their 1st A rights? RULING: Yes. (In favor of NSP)

FACTS: Playboy had a TV show, most Americans did not like it because of the material on it. It was not appropriate for some people. ISSUE: Did the blocking of this TV channel violate their 1st A rights? RULING: Yes (In favor of Playboy)

FACTS: Convicted of a crime and couldn't afford a lawyer, he asked for the court to appoint him one. But they refused and he was convicted and served 5 years. ISSUE: Did this violate his 6th and 14th A rights? RULING: Yes (In favor of Gideon)

FACTS: Gregg was sentenced to death, he challenged that it was a cruel and usual punishment. ISSUE: Was it? Did it violate his 8th and 14th A rights? RULING: No. (In favor of Georgia)

FACTS: Roe wanted to abort her baby in Texas. ISSUE: Did the Constitution embrace a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy by abortion? RULING: Yes, by the 14th amendment

FACTS: The Boy Scouts fired Dale because he was gay. ISSUE: Was this against his 1st A rights? RULING: Yes.

FACTS: Tanner was handing out fliers in a mall and he was arrested because Lloyd Corp. didn't want him to hand them out in their mall. ISSUE: Were Tanner's 1st A rights violated? RULING: No, it was a private mall.

FACTS: Schenck was having rallies and protest against abortions in front of health clinics. Gov. stepped in and put a protection (barrier) of 15 feet of the clinic. ISSUE: Did this violate his 1st A rights? RULING: No, the "buffer zones" did not.

FACTS: Grisworld and the medical director were informing/helping married couples with birth control. They were arrested because Connecticut had a law against it. ISSUE: Does the Constitution protect right right to privacy in these situations? RULING: Yes.

FACTS: South Dakota's drinking age is 19, the gov. said if they didn't change it to 21 they would make them pay heavy fines. ISSUE: Did the gov. over use their power? RULING: No.