- This trial happened during the colonial period, so was not part of the Supreme Court's cases under the U.S. Constitution. On August 5, 1735, twelve New York jurors, inspired by the eloquence of the best lawyer of the period, Andrew Hamilton, ignored the instructions of the Governors's hand-picked judges and returned a verdict of "Not Guilty" on the charge of publishing "seditious libels." This helped to bring about a free press in America.
Your answer:
John Peter Zenger case
Amistad trial
Sacco-Vanzetti trial
- In this case, a televangelist sued a porn peddler for libel. The Supreme Court ruled the First Amendment prohibits public figures from recovering damages for intentional infliction of emotional harm, without showing the publication contained a false statement of fact made with actual malice.
Your answer:
O'Rourke v. Playboy, 1972
Hustler v. Falwell, 1988
Slidell v. Penthouse, 1990
- This case struck down a statute authorizing the state to seek injunctions against routine publishers of malicious or defamatory information, extending protection of freedom of the press to the states (incorporation).
Your answer:
Curry v. Lambda Foundation, 1896
New York Times v. United States, 1971
Near v. Minnesota, 1931
- The Supreme Court ruled that wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War was “pure speech,” or symbolic speech, thus protected by the First Amendment. The principal’s right to forbid conduct that substantially interfered with school discipline was outweighed by the students’ right to free expression.
Your answer:
Texas v. Johnson, 1974
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 1969
Flowers v. Andover Public Schools, 1965
- The Court ruled all school-sanctioned prayer in public schools unconstitutional.
Your answer:
Murry v. O'Hare, 1964
Wallace v. Jaffree, 1985
Engel v. Vitale, 1962
- During World War I, a socialist political activist mailed fliers to draftees urging them to peacefully protest the draft. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote that the First Amendment did not protect him since, during wartime, such expression would create a clear and present danger.
Your answer:
Cantwell v. Connecticut, 1940
Florida v. Hughes, 1917
Schenck v United States, 1919
- The Supreme Court applied protection of free speech to the states (incorporation)
Your answer:
Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896
Gitlow v New York, 1925
Brandenburg v. Ohio, 1969
- The Supreme Court protected flag-burning as symbolic speech: “Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.”
Your answer:
Texas v. Johnson, 1989
Reno v. ACLU, 1997
Buckley v. Valeo, 1976
- The Court stated that the First Amendment protected all statements about public officials, unless the speaker lies with the intent to defame. This case overturned a judgment awarding damages to an Alabama policeman after a major American newspaper ran a critical ad.
Your answer:
New York Times v. United States, 1971
New York Times v. Sullivan, 1964
United States v. Nixon, 1974
- The Supreme Court ruled that the an extremist political party could not be prohibited from marching peacefully, simply because of the content of their message.
Your answer:
Communist Party USA v. United States, 1954
Dejonge v. Oregon, 1937
Village of Skokie vs. National Socialist Party, 1978
- This case set forth rules for obscenity prosecutions, but also gave states and localities flexibility in determining what is obscene. The four dissenters argued even the most general attempt to define obscenity for the entire nation was outside the scope of the Court’s power.
Your answer:
Brandenburg v. Ohio, 1969
Wallace v. Jaffree, 1985
Miller v. California, 1973
- The Court struck down a Pennsylvania law requiring that each public school day open with Bible reading.
Your answer:
Wallace v. Jaffree, 1985
Abington School District v. Schempp, 1963
Buckley v. Valeo, 1976
- The Supreme Court held that the 1996 Communications Decency Act was unconstitutional, since it was overly broad and vague in its regulation of speech on the internet, and it attempted to regulate indecent speech, which is protected.
Your answer:
Landry v. Whitney, 2002
Phillips v. Andover, 1998
Reno v. ACLU, 1997
- This case lifted a temporary injunction against publication of leaked information, since such publication would not cause an “inevitable, direct and immediate” event imperiling the safety of American forces; often referred to as the Pentagon Papers case.
Your answer:
United States v. Sullivan, 1966
New York Times v. United States, 1971
Army v. Navy, 1970
- This case extended to the states the federal protection of the right to peaceably assemble for lawful discussion (incorporation).
Your answer:
Dejonge v Oregon, 1937
Miller v. California, 1973
Smith v. Collin, 1978
- The Court ruled a state school board’s policy requiring students and teachers to recite the pledge of allegiance unconstitutional.
Your answer:
Wisconsin v. Yoder, 1972
Cantwell v. Connecticut, 1940
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 1943