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Sherbert v. Verner
Adell Sherbert, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, worked five days a week. Her boss told her she had to work six days a week involving Saturday. It is against her religion to work on Saturdays, so she refused to. She was fired and then filed for unemployment compensation, and she was denied. She took it to court. The way Sherbert was found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. -
Edwards v. South Carolina
A large group of African Americans peacefully assembled at the Zion Baptist Church to petition regarding civil rights. The group of African Americans were not violent and yet they were asked by the police to stop or they would be arrested. They were convicted of the common law crime of breach of the peace. The petitioners felt that their right to protest was being taken away. The court decided that the petitioners have the right to petition and the arrests were unconstitutional. -
Time, Inc. v. Hill
The Hill family was taken hostage in their own home, and the criminals were immediately arrested after the family escaped. The Hill family was being smothered with media and moved to live a more private. John Hayes wrote a novel about the Hill's experience and h added many major details that were not true. The Hill family sued for -
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District
Three students wore black armbands to school to protest the Vietnam war and they were suspended when the school told them to remove the armbands and they refused. The students sued the school because they believed that the school was taking away their freedom of expression. The court decided that the school did violate the students expression and lead to them creating the "Tinker Test" which states public schools must meet before taking away students expression. -
Edwards v. Aguillard
This was a United States Supreme Court case concerning the constitutionality of teaching creationism. The Court considered a Louisiana law requiring that where evolutionary science was taught in public schools, creation science must also be taught. The Court ruled that this law violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment because the law was specifically intended to advance a particular religion -
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
The principle at East High removed two articles written by a few students in the school newspaper because he believed it was "inappropriate". The students decided to sue the school and take it to court. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri found no 1st Amendment violation. But the Eighth Circuit said the students’ rights had been violated. The school board then asked for the U.S. Supreme court to be reviewed. In the end, the Eight Circuit was overturned and the school won -
Florida Star v. B.J.F.
A woman named B.J.F. reported being sexually assaulted and robbed, to the sheriff's office. The sheriff's office and a reporter from The Florida Star put her name and what happened to her in the newspaper. B.J.F. sued both of them and the sheriff's office paid a $2,500 fine but the newspaper did not. The trial court rejected the newspaper and their actions were declared unconstitutional,for invading her privacy. They are not allowed to mention details and a full name of a rape victim publicly. -
Texas v. Johnson
In front of the Dallas City Hall, Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag as a protest against Reagan administration policies. Johnson was convicted under a Texas law outlawing flag desecration. He was sentenced to one year in jail and assessed a $2,000 fine. Johnson did it as freedom of expression believing that he would be protected by the First Amendment. Later the Supreme Court overturned his sentencing and was in his favor that he was protected under freedom of expression. -
Lee v. Weisman
Robert E. Lee, the principle of a school in RI, invited a rabbi to deliver a prayer at the graduation ceremony, but the parents of student Deborah Weisman requested an injunction to prevent the rabbi from speaking. She was arguing for freedom of religion and believed it was unconstitutional for the rabbi to give prayer. Weisman was denied by the court denied her and she took it to the Supreme Court after the ceremony and was once again denied because the ceremony and prayer is all voluntary. -
Morse v. Frederick
The Olympic Torch Relay passed by a public school in Alaska. A student for the school decided to display a 14 foot banner promoting drug use. The principle suspended him, and the student sued. The student felt that the school was taking away his freedom of expression. The U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska ruled in favor of the school officials, agreeing that there had been no violation of the 1st Amendment.The student appealed, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with him.
