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Schenck v. United States
United States Supreme Court decision that upheld the Espionage Act of 1917 and concluded that a defendant did not have a First Amendment right to freedom of speech against the draft during World War I. Ultimately, the case established the "clear and present danger" test. Schenck's criminal conviction was constitutional. -
Hague v. Committee for Industrial Organization
The case involved Jersey City, New Jersey Mayor Frank Hague who had in 1937 used a city ordinance to prevent labor meetings in public places and stop the distribution of literature pertaining to the CIO's cause. He referred to them as "communist." District and circuit courts ruled in favor of the CIO which brought the suit against the mayor for these actions. Hague appealed to the Supreme Court which ruled against him and held that Hague's ban on political meetings violated 1st amendment. Void. -
Thornhill v. Alabama (1940)
The Supreme Court held that orderly union picketing that informs the public of the issues is protected by the constitutional freedom of speech and of the press and the right of petition and peaceable assembly and cannot be prosecuted under state loitering and picketing laws. -
Minersville School district Vs.Gobitis
Supreme court envolving religious rights of public school students. The court ruled that the public school could compel students- in this case Jehovah's witness- to salute the american flag and recite the pledge of allegiance. This was over ruled three years later. -
Everson Vs. Board of Education
whether a board of education resolution authorizing the reimbursement of parents for fares paid for the transportation by public carrier of children attending public and catholic schools violates the 1st and 14thb amendments of the constitution. The claims were denied. -
Engel Vs. Vitale
Whether state laws requiring or permitting use of the Regents' prayer violate the Establishment Clause because the prayer was composed by governmental officials as a part of a governmental program to further religious beliefs. -
Cox Vs. Louisiana
Case arose after the picketing of a segregated Restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that led to 23 student protests from a black college being arrested. Cox wanted to protest and cops agreed as long as it was across the sreet. Cox was accused of breach of peace, picketing near a courthouse, and the obstruction of of a public passage way. -
New York Times Company vs. United States
The U.S government attempted to enjoin the New York Times and Washington Post from publishing classified documents concerning the vietnam war. the government won the case. -
Coates v. Cincinnati
a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that a local city ordinance which made it a criminal offense for three or more persons to assemble on a sidewalk and annoy passersby was unconstitutional.Coates, a student, participated in a demonstration and was convicted of violating the ordinance. Coates appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court, alleging that the ordinance and his conviction violated the First and Fourteenth amendments of the United States Constitution. He was convicted -
McDonald v. Smith
The Supreme Court unanimously held that statements made in a petition to the government are not entitled to greater consitutional protection than other First Amendment expressions. In letters written to President Reagan concerning someone being considered for U.S. attorney, the writer made false and derogatory statements. The letter writer was sued for libel. The writer pleaded that the Petition Clause of the First Amendment gave him immunity from prosecution. Wrong, said the court. -
hustler Magizine, inc. vs. Falwell
Huster published a parody of a liquor advertisment in which Rev. Jerry falwell described his "first time" as a drunken encounter with his mother in an outhouse. A supreme court held that a public figure had to show actual malice in order to recover for intentional infliction of emotional distress as a result of a parody in a magazine. -
Simon and Schuster, inc. vs. New York State Crime Victims Board
New York wanted to have a "son of same law" passed that would require book publishers to turn over to the state, any proceeds from a book written by any person convicted of a crime. The supreme court shot the law down because then we would not have some of the books we havve today. -
R. A. V. v. City of St. Paul,
a United States Supreme Court case involving hate speech and the free speech clause A unanimous Court struck down St. Paul, Minnesota's Bias-Motivated Crime Ordinance, and in doing so overturned the conviction of a teenager, referred to in court documents only as R.A.V., for burning a cross on the lawn of an African American family. -
Lambs Chapel Vs.Center Moriches Union Free School District
If a school could have ranged groups for social, civic, and recreational purposes that should allow students to talk about religion. Most schools now have religious groups offered. -
McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky
issue is whether government-sponsored displays of the Ten Commandments in county courthouses violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In a suit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held that the displays—in this case, a Ten Commandments display at the McCreary County courthouse in Whitley City, Kentucky—were unconstitutional -
Snyder v. Phelps
A case heard by Supreme Court of the United States on whether the free speech rights of protesters are more important than the privacy rights of mourners attending funerals.It involved a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress made by Albert Snyder, the father of Matthew Snyder, a Marine who died in the Iraq War.The Court ruled in favor of Phelps in an 8-1 decision.
