Landmark Supreme Court Cases

Judiciary Act of 1801 – Passed before Jefferson took office, it set up regional courts and appointed 16 judges.  They were referred to as the “midnight judges.” It also put Jefferson’s cousin, John Marshall, in as Chief Justice of the U.S.  Marshall was a Federalist and had also been Secretary of State under Adams.

When Jefferson became president, he told his secretary of state, James Madison, not to deliver any more judicial appointments.  One of the appointments was to William Marbury.

Marshall’s decisions and those of the Supreme Court until his death in 1835, gave more power to the Federal government rather than the states.

A landmark case, or landmark decision, is a court decision which is published by an appeals court or by the Supreme Court on some matter that is serious or important to a large number of people.

A landmark case, once decided, shows the usual way in which the court will rule on such issues in the future, and sometimes sets how lower courts must rule in the case of the same or a similar matter coming before them. It is sometimes referred to as a precedent setting case.

Five Landmark Supreme Court Decisions

Judiciary Act of 1801 – Passed before Jefferson took office, it set up regional courts and appointed 16 judges.  They were referred to as the “midnight judges.” It also put Jefferson’s cousin, John Marshall, in as Chief Justice of the U.S.  Marshall was a Federalist and had also been Secretary of State under Adams.

When Jefferson became president, he told his secretary of state, James Madison, not to deliver any more judicial appointments.  One of the appointments was to William Marbury.

Marshall’s decisions and those of the Supreme Court until his death in 1835, gave more power to the Federal government rather than the states.

A landmark case, or landmark decision, is a court decision which is published by an appeals court or by the Supreme Court on some matter that is serious or important to a large number of people.

A landmark case, once decided, shows the usual way in which the court will rule on such issues in the future, and sometimes sets how lower courts must rule in the case of the same or a similar matter coming before them. It is sometimes referred to as a precedent setting case.

Five Landmark Supreme Court Decisions

1.  Marbury v. Madison – 1803 – The first landmark Supreme Court decision. It formed the basis for judicial review under Article III of the Constitution.  It broadened the power of the Supreme Court establishing that:

• The Constitution is the supreme law of the land
• When there is a conflict between the Constitution and any other law, the Constitution must be followed
• The judicial branch has the duty to uphold the Constitution

2.  McCulloch v. Maryland – 1819 – The 2nd Bank of the United States is chartered in 1816, but some states (including Maryland) passed laws taxing the banks.

•        In 1818, James McCulloch (head of the Baltimore branch of the bank) refused to pay the tax to the state.

•        The Supreme Court ruled the Maryland tax unconstitutional and void.

•        The decision allows Congress to create any law that will help it achieve any of it duties according the Constitution.

3.  Gibbons v. Ogden – 1824 – Thomas Gibbons had a federal license to run a steamboat along the coast of the United States, but that did not allow him to operate in New York.  He wanted to be able to compete with Aaron Ogden, who operated steamboats between New York and New Jersey.

•        Gibbons won the case and made it clear that Congress had the authority to regulate interstate commerce (business between the states).

•        No state has the right to close its borders to trade to with other states. 

4.  Worcester v. Georgia – 1832 – Samuel Worcester was missionary (religious leader) who worked with the Cherokee Indians in Georgia. He was arrested by the Georgia militia for failure to have a license to live on Cherokee land and for refusing an order to leave. Worcester argued that Georgia had no legal authority on Cherokee land.

•        The Court agreed with Worcester and ruled that only the Federal government had authority in this matter.

•        However, President Andrew Jackson supported Georgia and refused to enforce the court’s ruling. This led to the “Trail of Tears” in 1838.

5.  Dred Scott v. Sandford – 1857 – Dred Scott was taken by his Missouri slaveholder into Illinois and Wisconsin (free states). Later, he sued for his freedom because under Missouri law at the time, if a slave lived in a free state at any time, they were entitled to freedom.

•        The court ruled that enslaved Africans were property – not citizens – and had no rights under the Constitution.

•        The decision overturned the Missouri Compromise (1820) which outlawed slavery in territories north of the 36.5th parallel north. This moved the country closer to the Civil War.