LANDMARK SUPREME COURT CASES Graphic Organizer Complete this organizer for each of the required 15 Supreme Court Cases. Keep them in a binder or folder which you can use to make connections and review. CASE NAME Marbury v Madison CASE DATE 1800-1803 CHIEF JUSTICE John Marshall AMENDMENT/CLA USE The Writ of Mandamus in the Judiciary Act of 1789 BACKGROUND & DETAILS OF THE CASE COURT RULING The court stated that Madison's refusal to deliver the papers were illegal, but they could not force Madison to deliver them. They claimed that the Writ of Mandamus in the judiciary act of 1789 that Marbury argued with was inherently unconstitutional, since he was essentially asking the Supreme Court to extend their power outside of their outlined Constitutional jurisdiction. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES & SIGNIFICANCE MNEMONIC or VISUAL In the election of 1800, John Adams, a federalist, loses the presidency to a Democratic Republican. In order to maintain federalist influence, he appoints several federal judges who share his ideals. The Secretary of State needed to deliver papers to the newly appointed judges. William Marbury had been appointed Justice of Peace in the district of Columbia, but his papers were not delivered. Marbury petitioned The Supreme Court to force the Secretary of State, James Madison, to deliver his papers after he refused. This is the first occasion that a federal law was struck down in a court case and affirms the power of judicial review. The Writ of Mandamus stated that an inferior government official can correct an superior government official Marbury meant to make Madison make his money manifest.
The Fifteen Landmark Supreme Court Cases CASE NAME Shaw v. Reno CASE DATE April 20, 1993 CHIEF JUSTICE Sandra Day O' Connor AMENDMENT/CLA USE 14th Amendment BACKGROUND & DETAILS OF THE CASE The United States Attorney General rejected a North Carolina plan to create only one black majority district. North Carolina resubmitted a plan with two black majority districts, which was unusually shaped in order to specifically create this second majority district. Five North Carolina residents challenged this plan on these grounds. COURT RULING The court ruled that the resulting district was odd enough to suggest an effort to separate voters based on race, and exceeded the requirements to avoid racial imbalances. Though the residents claims did rise to an equal protection challenge, the court added that without contradictory evidence, the District Court would decide on any compelling evidence that justified North Carolina's plan. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES & SIGNIFICANCE MNEMONIC or VISUAL Second Case This court case effectively stated that redistricting is unconstitutional when it is made upon the basis of race and not have any other major governmental interest. Shaw said stop sliding districts. The Fifteen Landmark Supreme Court Cases CASE NAME Baker v. Carr
CASE DATE 1961-1962 CHIEF JUSTICE Justice Brennan AMENDMENT/CLA USE BACKGROUND & DETAILS OF THE CASE Charles W Baker and other Tennessee citizens claimed that a 1901 law designed to apportion seats for the state's General Assembly was ignored. Baker detailed Tennessee's reapportionment