Supreme Court Landmarks

Things are busy at Dewey, Earn, and Howe. Willy Understand has a new research assignment and, as his mentor, he needs your help again. You explain to him that the doctrine ofstare decisis("it has been decided") means that courts are obligated to rely upon precedent when deciding similar cases. Black's Law Dictionary defines precedent as "a rule of law established for the first time by a court for a particular type of case and thereafter referred to in deciding similar cases" (Garner, 1999). This is an important element in the American judicial system because it helps establish consistency in court rulings and decisions. Consistency helps people know what to expect from the court in future cases. ALL Supreme Court cases set precedent so you know you will be reading and researching Supreme Court precedents.

As an example for Willy, you are going to write 500 word paper that covers the following:

• From any of the three links provided below (Supreme Court Landmarks links), choose a Supreme Court case. Write a summary of the facts (in your own words) of the case and the new precedent that the court sets forth (again, USE YOUR OWN WORDS).
• Explain which courts (federal and state) are obligated to follow the new rule or rules andwhy.
• Explain whether you agree with the precedent and if you think it has had a positive (or negative) impact on society.

Supreme Court Landmarks Links

• Landmark Supreme Court Cases from the Bill of Rights Institute
• Supreme Court Landmarks from the United States Courts
• Supreme Court Landmark Cases from Constitution Facts

For additional review of Supreme Court Cases, review the Supreme Court Cases Flashcards.

References

Garner, B. (1999).Black's law dictionary(7th ed.). St. Paul, MN: West Group.

Landmark Supreme Court Cases ELessons. Bill of Rights Institute. https://billofrightsinstitute.org/educate/educator-resources/lessons-plans/landmark-supreme-court-cases-elessons/

Supreme Court Landmarks. United States Courts. https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/supreme-court-landmarks

Supreme Court: Landmark Cases. Constitution Facts. https://www.constitutionfacts.com/content/supremecourt/files/supremecourt_landmarkcases.pdf

Supreme Court Cases Flashcards. Quizlet. https://quizlet.com/7867229/supreme-court-cases-flashcards/