The 21 Most Famous Supreme Court Decisions

from Richard Wolf, USA TODAY Published 4:11 p.m. ET June 26, 2015

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Determining Power

Marbury v. Madison, 1803 (4-0 decision)

Established the Supreme Court's power of judicial review over Congress.

McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819 (7-0 decision)

Established the federal government's implied powers over the states.

Loving v. Virginia, 1967 (9-0 decision)

Invalidated state laws prohibiting interracial marriage.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 1978 (5-4 decision)

Upheld use of race as one of many factors in college admissions.

Determining Rights

Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857 (7-2 decision)

Denied citizenship to African American slaves.

Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 (7-1 decision)

Upheld "separate but equal" segregation laws in states.

Korematsu v. United States, 1944 (6-3 decision)

Upheld internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Brown v. Board of Education, 1954 (9-0 decision)

Separating black and white students in public schools is unconstitutional.

Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963 (9-0 decision)

Criminal defendants have a right to an attorney even if they cannot afford one.

Miranda v. Arizona, 1966 (5-4 decision)

Prisoners must be advised of their rights before being questioned by police.

Roe v. Wade, 1973 (7-2 decision)

Women have a constitutional right to an abortion during the first two trimesters.

United States v. Nixon, 1974 (8-0 decision)

President cannot use executive privilege to withhold evidence from criminal trial.

Determining Property

New York Times v. Sullivan, 1964 (9-0 decision)

Lawsuits based on libel or defamation must show intent or recklessness.

Bush v. Gore, 2000 (5-4 decision)

No recount of the 2000 presidential election was feasible in a reasonable time period.

Lawrence v. Texas, 2003 (6-3 decision)

Struck down state laws that prohibited sodomy between consenting adults.

District of Columbia v. Heller, 2008 (5-4 decision)

Citizens have a right to possess firearms at home for self-defense.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 2010 (5-4 decision)

Corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts in elections.

National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, 2012 (5-4 decision)

Upheld the mandate that most Americans have health insurance.

Shelby County v. Holder, 2013 (5-4 decision)