Supreme Court and Civil Rights

• -3 Democrats-6 republicans 
• -3 Democrats-6 republicans 
• In 2017-7,390 cases sent to the Supreme Court but only 83 were taken 

  SC only hears about 1% of cases 

  Clarence Thomas was only narrowly approved by 52-48 

  Robert Bork rejected in 1987 by a 42-58 vote 

  Kavanaugh approved by 50-48 

  Badger Ginsburg approved- 93-3 
• SC only hears about 1% of cases 
• Clarence Thomas was only narrowly approved by 52-48 
• Robert Bork rejected in 1987 by a 42-58 vote 
• Kavanaugh approved by 50-48 
• Bader Ginsburg approved- 93-3 
• Elections/spending: 

  -Citizens United V FEC (2010)- allowed for development of Super PACs 

  -McCutcheon V FEC (2014)- lifted the "aggregate cap" which limited the total an indicator could spend in an election 
• Healthcare: 

  -NFIB v Sakelius (2011)- individual manage functions as a tax and therefore is within 

  Congress' power to levy- upheld Obama care 

  -King V Buryel(2015)- Subsidies for healthcare can be given to those enrolled in state healthcare exchanges or federal healthcare exchanges ç
• Social Policy: 

  -Obergefell V Hodges (2010)- legalised gay marriage 

  -Whole women's health v Hellerstedt /2016)- Texas could not place restrictions on the delivery of abortion services that place an undue burden on a women seeking an abortion 

  -Dons V Jackson (2022)- overturned roe V Wade - abortion is not a constitutional right 
• 1st amendment: 

  -Sunder,V Phelps (2011)- free speech is protected even If it is controversial 
• 2nd amendment: 

  -DC v Heller (2008)- there is a right to individual gun ownership without a connection to a militia and for the use in the home for self defence 
• 8th amendment: 

  -Glassie, V Gross (2015)- lethal injection does not violate "cruel and unusual" punishment 

  -Liberal restraint- Whole women's health v Hellerstedt,demonstrated a continuation in the Roe V Wade ruling 

  -Conservative restraint- Glassig V Gross 

  -Liberal activism- Obergefell V Hodges 

  -Conservative activism- citizens United V FEC 

  -2018 SC struck down aspects of the 1965 voting rights act 
• 1954 Brown V Topeka Board of Education desegregated schools and challenged the "separate but equal" ruling
• 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed
• 1978 Regents of the University of California V Bakke upheld affirmative action within limited circumstances
• Fisher V University of Texas (2013) ruled that race could be a consideration in university admissions but would need to confirm this was "necessary" (strict scrutiny)
• DACA in 2012 allowed illegal immigrants who met certain conditions to remain in the USA free from the fear of deportation
• DAPA, together with DACA, protected 11 million undocumented migrants from deportation
• Trump V Hawaii (2018) court ruled that Trump's "travel ban" was not unconstitutional