List of United States Supreme Court cases
This is a chronological list of notable cases decided by the Supreme Court of the United States .
1790–1819
Chisholm v. Georgia , Marbury v. Madison ,5 U.S. 137 (1803): judicial review of laws enacted by Congress
Stuart v. Laird , 5 U.S. 299 (1803): enforceability of rulings issued by judges who have since been removed from office
Ex Parte Bollman ,8 U.S. 75 (1807): habeas corpus, definition of treason, Supreme Court’s power to issue writs to circuit courts
Fletcher v. Peck ,10 U.S. 87 (1810): property rights
Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee ,14 U.S. 304 (1816): Loyalist property forfeiture, Supreme Court review of state court judgments
McCulloch v. Maryland ,17 U.S. 316 (1819): doctrine of implied powers
Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward ,17 U.S. 518 (1819): impairment of contracts
1820–1839
1840–1859
1860–1879
Prize Cases , 67 U.S. 635 (1863): presidential powers in wartime
Ex Parte Milligan ,71 U.S. 2 (1866): habeas corpus, military tribunals
Ex Parte Garland ,71 U.S. 333 (1866): retroactive civil disability for former Confederate officers
Ex Parte McCardle ,74 U.S. 506 (1868): congressional power to limit Supreme Court’s appellate jurisdiction
Texas v. White ,74 U.S. 700 (1869): constitutionality of state secession
United States v. Klein ,80 U.S. 128 (1871): separation of powers
Slaughterhouse Cases ,83 U.S. 36 (1873): freedom of employment
Bradwell v. State of Illinois ,83 U.S. 130 (1873): equal protection, exclusion of women from employment
Minor v. Happersett ,88 U.S. 162 (1874): Fourteenth Amendment and the right to vote
Totten v. United States , 92 U.S. 105 (1875): jurisdiction over espionage agreements
United States v. Cruikshank ,92 U.S. 542 (1875): application of the First and Second Amendments to the states
Munn v. Illinois ,94 U.S. 113 (1876): corporations and agricultural regulation
Reynolds v. United States ,98 U.S. 145 (1878): polygamy and freedom of religion
1880–1899
Strauder v. West Virginia ,100 U.S. 303 (1880): exclusion of blacks from juries
Civil Rights Cases ,109 U.S. 3 (1883): power of federal government to prohibit racial discrimination by private parties
Burrow-Giles Lithographic Co. v. Sarony ,111 U.S. 53 (1884): copyrightability of photographs
Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad ,118 U.S. 394 (1886): corporate personhood
Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Company v. Illinois ,118 U.S. 557 (1886): regulation of interstate commerce by individual states, creation of ICC
Dent v. West Virginia ,129 U.S. 114 (1889): state licensing of doctors
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad v. Minnesota , 134 U.S. 418 (1890): states and railway fees
Nix v. Hedden ,149 U.S. 304 (1893): status of the tomato as fruit or vegetable
United States v. E. C. Knight Co. ,156 U.S. 1 (1895): antitrust action; “Sugar Trust Case”
Coffin v. United States ,156 U.S. 432 (1895): the presumption of innocence .
In re Debs , 158 U.S. 564 (1895): strikes and interstate commerce
Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan & Trust Co. ,158 U.S. 601 (1895): income tax and tariffs
Plessy v. Ferguson ,163 U.S. 537 (1896): segregation; “separate but equal”
United States v. Trans-Missouri Freight Association ,166 U.S. 290 (1897): railroads and rate fixing
Holden v. Hardy ,169 U.S. 366 (1898):
United States v. Wong Kim Ark ,169 U.S. 649 (1898): citizenship and race
Hawker v. New York , 170 U.S. 189 (1898): character and doctor’s licenses
Williams v. Mississippi , 170 U.S. 213 (1898): literacy tests
Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education ,175 U.S. 528 (1899): segregation in public schools
1900–1919
Marks v. Shoup , 181 U.S. 562 (1901): Property issues
Insular Cases , Hawaii v. Manikichi , 190 U.S. 197 (1903):, sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
Kepner v. United States , 195 U.S. 100 (1904):, sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
Dorr v. United States , 195 U.S. 138 (1904):, sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
Gonzales v. Williams , 192 U.S. 1 (1904): Puerto Ricans and illegal aliens
Rasmussen v. United States , 197 U.S. 516 (1905):, sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
Lochner v. New York ,198 U.S. 45 (1905): freedom of contract, substantive due process
Hale v. Henkel , 201 U.S. 43 (1906): witness testimony in antitrust cases
Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. v. Riggs ,203 U.S. 243 (1906):
Adair v. United States ,208 U.S. 161 (1908): "Yellow Dog contract "
Muller v. Oregon ,208 U.S. 412 (1908): protective labor laws, protection of women
Bobbs-Merrill Co v. Straus ,210 U.S. 339 (1908): extension of copyright holder rights by use of licenses
Berea College v. Kentucky , 211 U.S. 45 (1908): state laws and segregation of educational facilities
United States v. Grimaud , 220 U.S. 506 (1911): control of forest reserves
Dowdell v. United States , 221 U.S. 325 (1911):, sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
Bauer & Cie. v. O'Donnell ,229 U.S. 1 (1913): extensions of patents by use of licenses, rights of copyright holder regarding “use” of copyrighted works
Ocampo v. United States , 234 U.S. 91 (1914):, sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
Guinn v. United States ,238 U.S. 347 (1915): unconstitutionality of Oklahoma's "grandfather law" used to disenfranchise African-American voters
Bi-Metallic Investment Co. v. State Board of Equalization ,239 U.S. 441 (1915): denial of due process procedural protections for legislative and rulemaking acts, as opposed to adjudicatory proceedings
Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad Buchanan v. Warley ,245 U.S. 60 (1917): unconstitutionality of local ordinance compelling racial segregation of residential housing
Hammer v. Dagenhart ,247 U.S. 251 (1918): Congressional power to regulate child labor under the Commerce Clause
International News Service v. Associated Press , 248 U.S. 215 (1918): property rights in news
Schenck v. United States ,249 U.S. 47 (1919): freedom of speech, “clear and present danger”
Abrams v. United States ,250 U.S. 616 (1919): validity of criminalizing criticism of the government
1920–1939
Missouri v. Holland ,252 U.S. 416 (1920): states’ rights
Balzac v. Porto Rico ,258 U.S. 298 (1922):, sometimes considered one of the Insular Cases
Moore v. Dempsey ,261 U.S. 86 (1923): mob-dominated trials, federal writ of habeas corpus, due process
Adkins v. Children’s Hospital ,261 U.S. 525 (1923): freedom of contract, minimum wage laws
United States v. Ninety-Five Barrels (More or Less) Alleged Apple Cider Vinegar , 265 U.S. 438 (1924): legality of misleading but factually accurate packaging statements under the Food and Drug Act
Pierce v. Society of Sisters ,268 U.S. 510 (1925): privacy
Gitlow v. New York ,268 U.S. 652 (1925): prosecution of seditious speech
Myers v. United States ,272 U.S. 52 (1926):
Village of Euclid, Ohio v. Ambler Realty Co. ,272 U.S. 365 (1926): zoning , due process
Buck v. Bell ,274 U.S. 200 (1927): compulsory sterilization , eugenics
Whitney v. California ,274 U.S. 357 (1927): prosecution of criminal syndicalism
Stromberg v. California , 283 U.S. 359 (1931):
Near v. Minnesota ,283 U.S. 697 (1931): freedom of speech, prior restraints
New State Ice Co. v. Liebmann , 285 U.S. 262 (1932):
Powell v. Alabama ,287 U.S. 45 (1932):
Panama Refining Co. v. Ryan ,293 U.S. 388 (1935): delegation of authority, New Deal
Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States ,295 U.S. 495 (1935): interstate commerce, New Deal
West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish ,300 U.S. 379 (1937): freedom of contract, minimum wage laws; “the switch in time that saved nine”
National Labor Relations Board v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation ,301 U.S. 1 (1937): interstate commerce; another consequence of “the switch in time that saved nine”
Connecticut General Life Insurance Company v. Johnson ,303 U.S. 77 (1938):
United States v. Carolene Products Co. ,304 U.S. 144 (1938): interstate commerce, substantive due process, and (in footnote four ) equal protection
United States v. Miller ,307 U.S. 174 (1939):
1940–1959
Chambers v. Florida ,309 U.S. 227 (1940):
Edwards v. California ,314 U.S. 160 (1941): Commerce Clause
Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire ,315 U.S. 568 (1942): fighting words
Betts v. Brady , 316 U.S. 455 (1942):
Skinner v. Oklahoma ,316 U.S. 535 (1942): compulsory sterilization , eugenics
Wickard v. Filburn ,317 U.S. 111 (1942): Commerce Clause
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette ,319 U.S. 624 (1943)
Hirabayashi v. United States , 320 U.S. 81 (1943)
Smith v. Allwright ,321 U.S. 649 (1944): voting rights, segregation
Korematsu v. United States ,323 U.S. 214 (1944): internment of Japanese
Everson v. Board of Education ,330 U.S. 1 (1947): First Amendment, establishment of religion
Oyama v. California ,332 U.S. 633 (1948): California Alien Land Laws, equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment
Shelley v. Kraemer ,334 U.S. 1 (1948): equal protection, racial covenants
United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. ,334 U.S. 131 (1948): Hollywood studios monopoly
United States v. National City Lines Inc. ,334 U.S. 573 (1948): General Motors streetcar conspiracy
Wheeling Steel Corp. v. Glander ,337 U.S. 562 (1949): due process (Fourteenth Amendment), Commerce Clause
Wolf v. Colorado ,338 U.S. 25 (1949): Fourteenth Amendment, state court, evidence from unreasonable search and seizure
Sweatt v. Painter ,339 U.S. 629 (1950): segregation, separate but equal
McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents ,339 U.S. 637 (1950): Fourteenth Amendment, segregation
Universal Camera Corp. v. NLRB ,340 U.S. 474 (1951): judicial review of agency decisions
Dennis v. United States ,341 U.S. 494 (1951): First Amendment and the Smith Act
Rochin v. California ,342 U.S. 165 (1952): restriction of police power
Zorach v. Clauson , 343 U.S. 306 (1952): release time programs
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer ,343 U.S. 579 (1952): presidential power to seize steel mills during strike to ensure wartime production
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ,347 U.S. 483 (1954): segregation, “separate inherently inequal”
Bolling v. Sharpe ,347 U.S. 497 (1954): segregation in the District of Columbia
Berman v. Parker , 348 U.S. 26 (1954): eminent domain, takings
Griffin v. Illinois , 351 U.S. 12 (1956): access to court transcript for indigent appeals
Roth v. United States ,354 U.S. 476 (1957): obscenity
NAACP v. Alabama ,357 U.S. 449 (1958): freedom of association, privacy of membership lists
Speiser v. Randall ,357 U.S. 513 (1958):
Smith v. California , 361 U.S. 147 (1959):
1960–1979
Boynton v. Virginia ,364 U.S. 454 (1960): racial segregation
McGowan v. Maryland ,366 U.S. 420 (1961): constitutionality of laws with religious origins but secular purposes
Torcaso v. Watkins ,367 U.S. 488 (1961): oaths, religious test, First Amendment
Mapp v. Ohio ,367 U.S. 643 (1961): search and seizure, exclusionary rule
Baker v. Carr ,369 U.S. 186 (1962): reapportionment issues
Engel v. Vitale ,370 U.S. 421 (1962): school prayer
Gideon v. Wainwright ,372 U.S. 335 (1963): right to counsel
Douglas v. California , 372 U.S. 353 (1963): Fourteenth Amendment; right of poor defendants to criminal court appeals
Abington School District v. Schempp ,374 U.S. 203 (1963): constitutionality of mandatory bible reading in public schools
Wesberry v. Sanders ,376 U.S. 1 (1964): “one man, one vote”
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan ,376 U.S. 254 (1964): freedom of speech, libel
Banco National de Cuba v. Sabbatino 376 U.S. 398 (1964): act of state doctrine applies to prevent federal court from holding invalid an act of a foreign country with respect to property within the foreign jurisdiction
Reynolds v. Sims ,377 U.S. 533 (1964): “one man, one vote” (state senates)
Jacobellis v. Ohio 378 U.S. 184 (1964): “I know [obscenity] when I see it[.]” – Justice Potter Stewart
Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States 379 U.S. 241 (1964): interstate commerce, civil rights, public accommodations
United States v. Continental Can Co. 378 U.S. 441 (1964): antitrust
Griswold v. Connecticut ,381 U.S. 479 (1965): privacy, birth control
Memoirs v. Massachusetts ,383 U.S. 413 (1966): obscenity
Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections , 383 U.S. 663 (1966):
Miranda v. Arizona ,384 U.S. 436 (1966): self-incrimination (“right to remain silent”}}:
In Re Gault , 387 U.S. 1 (1967): due process, juveniles
Loving v. Virginia ,388 U.S. 1 (1967): interracial marriage
United States v. Wade , 221-223 388 U.S. 218, 221-223 (1967): handwriting
Gilbert v. California , 388 U.S. 263-267 (1967): handwriting
United States v. O'Brien ,391 U.S. 367 (1968): free speech, burning draft cards
Terry v. Ohio ,392 U.S. 1 (1968): search and seizure, power of police to stop and frisk suspicious persons
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District ,393 U.S. 503 (1969): freedom of speech in public schools
Street v. New York , 394 U.S. 576 (1969):
Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC , 395 U.S. 367 (1969): Fairness Doctrine , broadcaster responsibilities, freedom of speech
Brandenburg v. Ohio ,395 U.S. 444 (1969): freedom of speech, incitement to riot
Goldberg v. Kelly ,397 U.S. 254 (1970): procedural due process, hearing requirement
Walz v. Tax Commission of the City of New York , 397 U.S. 664 (1970): tax exemption for churches
Griggs v. Duke Power Co. ,401 U.S. 424 (1971): employment discrimination; disparate effect of employer practices
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education ,402 U.S. 1 (1971): busing authorized to establish school desegregation
Cohen v. California ,403 U.S. 15 (1971): freedom of speech, fighting words/obscenity, “fuck the draft”
Lemon v. Kurtzman ,403 U.S. 602 (1971): establishment of religion, schools, the “Lemon test”
New York Times Co. v. United States ,403 U.S. 713 (1971): freedom of the press, national security, Pentagon Papers
Wisconsin v. Yoder ,406 U.S. 205 (1972): freedom of religion, high school education
Furman v. Georgia ,408 U.S. 238 (1972): death penalty, cruel and unusual punishment
Perry v. Sindermann ,408 U.S. 593 (1972): First Amendment ; defacto professor tenure
Branzburg v. Hayes ,408 U.S. 665 (1972): First Amendment; grand jury, journalists’ rights
United States v. Dionisio , 410 U.S. 1 (1973): handwriting
United States v. Mara aka Marasovich , 410 U.S. 19 (1973): handwriting
Roe v. Wade ,410 U.S. 113 (1973): abortion, due process, privacy
Miller v. California ,413 U.S. 15 (1973): freedom of speech , Miller test for obscenity Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo ,418 U.S. 241 (1974): freedom of speech
United States v. Nixon ,418 U.S. 683 (1974): judicial review, executive privilege, separation of powers
Milliken v. Bradley ,418 U.S. 717 (1974): segregation, busing
Gregg v. Georgia ,428 U.S. 153 (1976): death penalty
Stump v. Sparkman ,435 U.S. 349 (1978): judicial immunity
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. ,435 U.S. 519 (1978): judicial deference to government agencies
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke ,438 U.S. 265 (1978): racial discrimination, affirmative action
FCC v. Pacifica Foundation ,438 U.S. 726 (1978): obscenity, FCC policing of obscenity
1980–1999
Diamond v. Chakrabarty ,447 U.S. 303 (1980): patentability of genetically modified organisms
Consolidated Edison Co. v. Public Serv. Comm'n ,447 U.S. 530 (1980): freedom of speech (companies including information inserts with bills)
United States v. Lee , 455 U.S. 252 (1982): religious opposition to participation in Social Security
Board of Education, Island Trees School District v. Pico , 457 U.S. 853 (1982): right to remove "objectionable" books from school libraries
Plyler v. Doe , 457 U.S. 202 (1982): illegal immigrants and public education
Bob Jones University v. United States ,461 U.S. 574 (1983): freedom of religion and tax exemptions
Michigan v. Long ,463 U.S. 1032 (1983): “adequate and independent state ground ”
Sony Corp. v. Universal City Studios ,464 U.S. 417 (1984): copyright , VCR “time-shifting”, fair use
Lynch v. Donnelly , 465 U.S. 668 (1984): public religious display on private property
Bernal v. Fainter ,467 U.S. 216 (1984): citizenship of notaries public
Chevron, Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. ,467 U.S. 837 (1984): judicial review of the interpretation of statutes by government agencies
Allen v. Wright 468 U.S. 737 (1984): standing to sue for executive action alleged to promote racial discrimination by third parties
Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority ,469 U.S. 528 (1985): application of minimum wage laws to state governments
Wallace v. Jaffree ,472 U.S. 38 (1985): school sponsorship of voluntary religious observances
Thornton v. Calder , 472 U.S. 703 (1985): constitutionality of Sabbath laws
Dowling v. United States ,473 U.S. 207 (1985): copyright infringement as theft
Witters v. Washington Department of Services For the Blind , 474 U.S. 481 (1985): constitutionality of public aid paid directly to students of Christian colleges
Nix v. Whiteside ,475 U.S. 157 (1986): attorney-client privilege
Batson v. Kentucky ,476 U.S. 79 (1986): peremptory challenge, racial discrimination
Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson , 477 U.S. 57 (1986): sexual harassment
Bowers v. Hardwick ,478 U.S. 186 (1986): sodomy and substantive due process; overruled by Lawrence v. Texas (2003)
Bethel School District v. Fraser ,478 U.S. 675 (1986): censorship of obscene speech at a school assembly
Turner v. Safley ,482 U.S. 78 (1987): free speech and marriage rights of prison inmates
Edwards v. Aguillard ,482 U.S. 578 (1987): constitutionality of mandating teaching of creation science in conjunction with theory of evolution
South Dakota v. Dole , 483 U.S. 203 (1987): use of federal funding to encourage changes in state laws
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier ,484 U.S. 260 (1988): freedom of speech in school newspaper
Hustler Magazine v. Falwell ,485 U.S. 46 (1988): First Amendment; parody, emotional distress
Lying v. Northwest Indian CPA , 485 U.S. 439 (1988): religious rights of Native American vs. public interest
Morrison v. Olson ,487 U.S. 654 (1988): independent counsel's office
Thompson v. Oklahoma , 487 U.S. 815 (1988):, Eighth Amendment ; cruel and unusual punishment; capital punishment for juveniles under 16
Community For Creative Non-Violence v. Reid , 490 U.S. 730 (1989): copyright , work for hire
Martin v. Wilks , 490 U.S. 755 (1989):
Texas v. Johnson ,491 U.S. 397 (1989): freedom of speech (flag burning)
Webster v. Reproductive Health Services ,492 U.S. 490 (1989): abortion rights
Maryland v. Craig ,497 U.S. 836 (1990): the right of criminal defendants to confront witnesses
United States v. Eichman ,496 U.S. 310 (1990): freedom of speech (flag burning)
Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service Co ,499 U.S. 340 (1991): creativity required for copyright protection
R. A. V. v. City of St. Paul ,505 U.S. 377 (1992): fighting words, hate speech
Lee v. Weisman ,505 U.S. 577 (1992):
Planned Parenthood v. Casey ,505 U.S. 833 (1992): abortion
United States Department of Justice v. Landano , 508 U.S. 165 (1993): Freedom of Information Act and confidentiality.
Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah ,508 U.S. 520 (1993): animal cruelty, freedom of religion
Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School District , 508 U.S. 384 (1993): access by religious groups to public school facilities
Alexander v. United States , 509 U.S. 544 (1993):
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals ,509 U.S. 579 (1993): the Daubert Standard on the admissibility of the opinion of the expert witness .
Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music ,510 U.S. 569 (1994): copyright , commercial fair use is possible, parody
United States v. Shabani ,513 U.S. 10 (1994): elements of criminal conspiracy (i.e., requirement for an overt act)
United States v. Alfonso Lopez, Jr. ,514 U.S. 549 (1995): interstate commerce , gun-free school zones
Adarand Constructors v. Peņa ,515 U.S. 200 (1995): constitutionality of race-based set-asides (strict scrutiny test)
Rosenberger v. University of Virginia , 515 U.S. 819 (1995): discrimination by state universities against student religious organizations
Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton , 515 U.S. 646 (1995): reasonable public school drug testing is constitutional under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments
44 Liquormart, Inc. v. State of Rhode Island , 517 U.S. 484 (1996): restrictions on promotion of alcohol
Romer v. Evans ,517 U.S. 620 (1996): equal protection , homosexuality Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union ,521 U.S. 844 (1997): free speech , obscenity CDA
Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services ,523 U.S. 75 (1998): applicability of sexual harassment same sex Hunt v. Cromartie ,526 U.S. 541 (1999): gerrymandering
Florida Prepaid Postsecondary Education Expense Board v. College Savings Bank , 527 U.S. 627 (1999): sovereign immunity of the states
2000–present
Some of the cases in this section have not yet been assigned a United States Reports ("U.S.") citation with volume and page, a Supreme Court Reporter ("S.Ct.") citation, or both. Those cases can be identified either with "L.Ed.": a Lawyers' Edition citation [1] , or a U.S. Law Week citation [2] . Also see Court_citation#Unpublished_decisions for additional guidance.
United States v. Morrison ,529 U.S. 598 (2000):
Boy Scouts of America v. Dale ,530 U.S. 640 (2000): right of free association , homosexuality Bush v. Gore ,531 U.S. 98 (2000): vote recounts in presidential election
Easley v. Cromartie ,532 U.S. 234 (2001): racial discrimination , gerrymandering
Republican Party of Minnesota v. White ,536 U.S. 765 (2002): election of state judges, freedom of speech
Eldred v. Ashcroft ,537 U.S. 186 (2003): copyright duration
Gratz v. Bollinger ,539 U.S. 244 (2003): racial discrimination , affirmative action , equal protection
Grutter v. Bollinger ,539 U.S. 306 (2003): racial discrimination , affirmative action , equal protection
Lawrence v. Texas ,539 U.S. 558 (2003): liberty , due process , homosexuality McConnell v. FEC ,540 U.S. 93 (2003): First Amendment; political speech
Doe v. Chao ,540 U.S. 614 (2004): governmental violation of privacy rights
Citation to be assigned
Date listed is date of decision
03-167 (6/14/04) United States v. Dominguez Benitez , 124 S.Ct. 2333 (2004): responsibility of a defendant in the case of a violation of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11
Cases awaiting decision
The following is a partial list of cases awaiting decisions. The first number on each line is that case's docket number. The date listed before each case is that of the most recent oral arguments for each case. Transcripts of recently argued cases are available from the Court's website .
