Public Interest Law Case Studies

In Loving v. Virginia (1967), the Supreme Court ruled that laws prohibiting interracial marriage were unconstitutional, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

In Texas v. Johnson (1989), the Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot prohibit the burning of the American flag as a form of symbolic speech, as it is protected by the First Amendment.

In Roe v. Wade (1973), the Supreme Court ruled that the right to privacy, as protected by the Fourteenth Amendment, includes a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion.

In Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), the Supreme Court ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

In Reynolds v. Sims (1964), the Supreme Court ruled that state legislative districts must be drawn so that each district has approximately the same number of people, thus ensuring that each person's vote has equal weight.

In Olmstead v. L.C. (1999), the Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot discriminate against people with disabilities in employment, and that states must provide community-based services for people with disabilities who need them.

In Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), the Supreme Court ruled that the Sixth Amendment right to counsel applies to indigent defendants in criminal cases, and that states must provide counsel to such defendants.

In Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah (1993), the Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot prohibit the free exercise of religion, even if it conflicts with local laws or regulations.

In Marbury v. Madison (1803), the Supreme Court established the principle of judicial review, holding that courts have the power to declare laws unconstitutional.

In Hernandez v. Texas (1954), the Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot discriminate against people based on their national origin, and that Mexican Americans are entitled to the same rights and protections as all other citizens.

In Cooper v. Aaron (1958), the Supreme Court established the principle of stare decisis, or the adherence to precedent in legal decision-making, holding that lower courts are bound by the decisions of higher courts.

In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969), the Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot prohibit the free speech of students in public schools, as long as it does not cause a substantial disruption to the school environment.

In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court established the principle of equal protection under the law, prohibiting the government from discriminating against people based on their race, color, or national origin.

In Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), the Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot prohibit the sale or distribution of contraceptives, as it violates the right to privacy protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.

In Everson v. Board of Education (1947), the Supreme Court established the principle of the separation of church and state, prohibiting the government from promoting or endorsing religion.