Supreme Court Cases

Overview

Marbury v. Madison

• Marbury sued Sec of State Madison for his appointment to be a judge (midnight judges – Adams administration)

• Judicial review

Fletcher v. Peck

• A Georgia law attempted to take land away from some landowners

• Private property is protected by the Constitution – a law can’t be passed to take away private property

Dartmouth College v. Woodward

• The president of Dartmouth tried to change the charter of the college to make it a public institution

• Court ruled that the original charter was valid and could not be changed without the consent of both parties

• Protected contracts

McCulloch v. Maryland

• The state of Maryland tried to levy a tax on the federal Bank of the US

• Congress has the power to make a bank• State has no power over federal institutions

Gibbons v. Ogden

• NY tried to grant a monopoly rights to access to the Hudson River

• Marshall ruled that interstate commerce can only be regulated by the federal gov’t

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia

• Georgia abolished the Cherokee tribal legislature and courts – the Cherokee asked the court to rule on the issue because they were a “foreign nation”

• Supreme court refused to rule because the Cherokees were not a foreign nation; they were a “dependent nation,” and the US was the “guardian”

Worcester v. Georgia

• GA law claimed that anyone who wanted to enter Cherokee territory needed the permission of the governor (couldn’t live there without permission)

• The Court overruled the Georgia law saying that it was a federal power to regulate trade with the tribes

• “John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it.” ~Andrew Jackson

Prigg v. Pennsylvania

• Court ruled that states did not have to enforce the return of fugitive slaves

• But laws preventing the return of escaped slaves were unConstitutional

Commonwealth v. Hunt

• Landmark case on labor unions• Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling – unions

were legal organizations and had the right to organize a strike

• Legalized the existence of trade unions

Dred Scott v. Sanford

• Dred Scott, a slave, was brought by his owner into the free state of Illinois – later he sued for his freedom

• Court ruled that slaves were not citizens and could not sue in court

• ALSO – invalidated the Missouri Compromise – there was no more “free soil” – property could be brought to any state

Munn v. Illinois

• Upheld Granger laws regulating railroads• Allowed for federal laws to limit trusts