The U.S. Supreme Court rules state and local officials may take gifts and payments for steering contracts to grateful patrons. WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down part of a federal anti-corruption law that makes it a crime for state and local officials to take gifts valued at more than $5,000 from a […]
Category: Court Case Library
Supreme Court Overturns Injunction Limiting Contact Between Government Officials & Social Media Companies
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out claims that the Biden administration unlawfully coerced social media companies into removing contentious content. In reaching its conclusion, the court overturned an injunction that would have limited contacts between government officials and social media companies on a wide range of issues if allowed to go into […]
Employment Division v. Smith, 1990
Facts of the Case Alfred Smith and Galen Black, two Native Americans and members of the Native American Church, were fired from their jobs as counselors at a private drug rehabilitation organization because they had ingested peyote, a powerful hallucinogen, as part of a religious ceremony. The Oregon Employment Division denied them unemployment benefits because […]
Wisconsin v. Yoder, 1972
Facts of the Case Three Amish fathers, Jonas Yoder, Wallace Miller, and Adin Yutzy, were prosecuted under a Wisconsin law that required all children to attend public or private school until age 16. The Amish community objected, arguing that high school attendance was contrary to their religious beliefs and way of life. The parents contended […]
Wallace v. Jaffree, 1985
Facts of the Case In 1981, the Alabama State Legislature passed a law authorizing a one-minute period of silence in all public schools “for meditation or voluntary prayer.” This statute was an amendment to a previous law that allowed for a moment of silence for meditation. Ishmael Jaffree, a parent of three children attending public […]
Engel v. Vitale, 1962
Facts of the Case In 1951, the New York State Board of Regents composed a non-denominational prayer to be recited voluntarily by students at the beginning of each school day. The prayer read: “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our country.” […]
Obergefell v. Hodges
Obergefell v. Hodges, Supreme Court, 2015 Facts of the Case James Obergefell and John Arthur, a same-sex couple, legally married in Maryland. They subsequently moved to Ohio, a state that did not recognize their marriage. When Arthur died, Ohio refused to list Obergefell as the surviving spouse on the death certificate. Obergefell, along with other […]
Zelman v. Simmons-Harris
Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, Supreme Court, 2002 Facts of the Case In response to the failing public school system in Cleveland, Ohio, the state established the Ohio Pilot Project Scholarship Program. This program provided vouchers to low-income parents, allowing them to send their children to participating private schools, including religious schools, or to other public schools […]
Planned Parenthood v. Casey
Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Supreme Court, 1992 Facts of the Case In 1982, Pennsylvania enacted the Abortion Control Act, which imposed several restrictions on a woman’s right to obtain an abortion. These included informed consent, a 24-hour waiting period, parental consent for minors, and spousal notification. Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania challenged the constitutionality of […]
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education, Supreme Court, 1954 Facts of the Case In the early 1950s, several African American children, including Linda Brown, were denied admission to public schools attended by white children under laws permitting or requiring racial segregation. The cases came from Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia, and Delaware and were consolidated under Brown […]