RLD - Types of Claims & Landmark Case (Lesson)

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Types of Claims & Landmark Case

Why are Old Cases Important?

LandmarkCases.png Our judicial system is one of a balanced and carefully ordered hierarchy. We have talked about the purposes and structures of the federal and state courts. The majority of the nation’s legal disputes are handled through state courts; however, federal courts have considerable power. Many of the rulings made through the federal courts have become precedent. Courts generally consider precedent when dealing with a case or situation similar to past precedent. Case law and precedent set by the Supreme Court are binding on lower courts. They are also used in development of future legislation by Congress and as case studies by law school students and legal scholars.

In this lesson, we will review some of the major landmark cases that have shaped history and have an impact on our society even today.

Significant Court Cases: The Supreme Court

The U. S. Supreme Court hears only a few number of cases each year. To get to the U. S. Supreme Court, a case must usually work its way through the lower tiers of a state court system and/or the federal court system. The justices choose the cases they will hear every year. The cases they choose are based on a case’s implications for the nation’s citizens or for a certain group within society, not just the impact on the parties actually involved in the initial lawsuit.

Let’s take a look at some of those significant court cases:

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

  • 1954 case challenging the constitutionality of segregation in the Topeka, Kansas, school system.
  • Reversal of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) decision, declaring that "separate schools are inherently unequal."=
  • This ruling was the beginning of the end of racial segregation in America's public schools

New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)

  • The New York Times was sued by L. B. Sullivan, Montgomery, AL Police Commissioner, for printing an advertisement containing some false statements.
  • The U. S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the newspaper saying the right to publish all statements is protected under the First Amendment.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

  • (Federalism)
  • Marbury v. Madison firmly established that the Supreme Court of the United States has the power to determine the constitutionality and validity of the acts of the other two branches of government
  • In this case, the Supreme Court, for the first time, struck down an act of Congress as unconstitutional. This decision established the doctrine of judicial review.
  • This case set up theSupreme Court of the United States as chief interpreter of the Constitution.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

  • The right of a woman to choose to have an abortion fell within this fundamental right to privacy, and was protected by the Constitution.
  • Gave all American women the right to decide for themselves, in consultation with a doctor, whether or not to have an abortion.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

  • After hours of police interrogations, Ernesto Miranda confessed to his crimes; however, through the process, it was determined he was not advised of his rights counsel and to remain silent.
  • This ruling gave persons who are arrested the right to be informed of their legal rights at the time of their arrest.
  • This began the Miranda Warnings - "You have the right to remain silent........"

United States v. Nixon

  • Resulted from The Watergate scandal that began with the 1972 break-in of the Watergate building in Washington, D.C., during Richard Nixon's Presidency.
  • A congressional hearing revealed that he had installed a tape-recording device in the Oval Office. He refused to surrender tape recordings.
  • The court decided that executive privilege is not limitless and the tapes were ordered for release.

Let's Review!

Take a moment to participate in the following activity to practice your understanding of the topics in this module.  Reach out to your instructor if you have any questions.

Final Thoughts

The study of landmark cases decided through our country’s judicial system are very important and worthy of further study. They all have historical and legal significance. The most significant cases oftentimes concern your individual rights and liberties. Landmark cases are those that have had a lasting effect on the application of a certain law. Many of the country's most important cases have impacted laws that influence us today.

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