landmark Supreme Court cases that have had a significant impact on American life. These cases are considered to be landmark because they have set precedents and/or further refined the interpretation of the US Constitution.
Students will have to look at ALL of the following cases:
-New Jersey v TLO
-Gideon v Wainwright
Students must choose 2 of the following
-Morse v Frederick
-Hazelwood v Kuhlmeier
-Tinker v Des Moines
-Mapp v Ohio
-Texas v Johnson
Part I: Vocabulary and ideas
Define the following terms:
a. Judicial Activism
b. Judicial Restraint
c. Precedent
d. Majority opinion
e. Dissenting opinion
f. Concurring opinion
You will also need to discuss the difference between Judicial Activism and Judicial Restraint, and what makes a court an activist court v a court of restraint.
Part II
You will do the following for each of the court cases that are mandated, and for the two of your choice.
1. Give a brief overview of the case and the decision made by the Supreme Court (1-2 paragraphs)
2. Looking at the decision made by the court decide if it was one of activism or restraint.
a. Is it restraint or activism and why? (1 paragraph)
3. Last piece- What impact did this decision have on the United States government as a whole, did it lead to a change in a groups power, did it establish something that was a new precedent, etc. 1 Paragraph
Works Cited page MLA Format, at least 3 sources
After completing all of this, if you were the President and had the power to nominate Judges to the Supreme Court, which type of judge would you pick? An activist, who believes interpretation according to fit the times is important, or a judge who shows restraint and bases interpretation off of what is intended originally by the Constitution and Framers, and not legislating from the bench.