Essay: Best Court Decisions

This page lists some of the best court decisions. These cases typically emphasized judicial restraint, strict constructionism, textualism, and originalism. Most of the time, they protected the liberties of the people and limited the power of the government. All of the decisions mentioned below were Supreme Court decisions unless noted.

Here is the list:

1. Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022)—Overturned Roe v. Wade.
2. Boy Scouts v. Dale (2002)—protected First Amendment rights from the homosexual agenda.
3. Bowers v. Hardwick (1986)—upheld sodomy laws until it was unfortunately overruled by Lawrence v. Texas.
4. Bush v. Gore (2000)—stopped the re-count in Florida and ultimately gave George W. Bush the presidency.
5. D.C. v. Heller (2008)—struck down a gun control law in Washington, D.C..
6. Citizens United v. FEC (2010)—ended the liberal monopoly over the media.
7. Wooley v. Maynard (1977)—ruled that the state cannot force a person to compelled speech due to the First Amendment.
8. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society v. Village of Stratton (2002)—protected free speech rights by allowing door-to-door canvassing.
9. Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002)—allowed school vouchers to be used for religious schools.
10. Rostker v. Goldberg (1981)—ruled women could not be drafted by the military.
11. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power v. NRDC (1978)—Preserved small government by ruling that the judiciary cannot impose incremental procedure on government agencies.
12. United States v. Morrison (2000)—was a pro-federalism decision that invalidated a provision of the Violence Against Women Act dealing with domestic violence.
13. United States v. Lopez (1995)—also preserved federalism by limiting the Commerce Clause and it invalidated the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990.
14. Paul v. Davis (1976)—ruled that damage to reputation alone is not actionable under Section 1983 unless accompanied by injury to "some more tangible interests.
15. Parratt v. Taylor (1981)—held that the loss of property was not actionable under Section 1983.
16. Daniels v. Williams (1986)—held that the U.S. Constitution does not guarantee due care on the part of state officials.
17. Nat'l Ass'n of Home Builders v. Defenders of Wildlife (2007)—ruled against environmentalism in a case regarding the construction of homes.
18. Hein v. Freedom From Religion Found (2007)—upheld a faith-based decision.
19. DA's Office for the Third Judicial Dist. v. Osborne (2009)—held that there is not a post-conviction constitutional right for a prisoner to obtain DNA evidence from the state about a crime.
20. Good News Club v. Milford Central School (2001)—held that religious groups could engage in worship in schools.
21. Loving v. Virginia (1967)—struck down bans on interracial marriage and overturned Pace v. Alabama.
22. United States v. Bajakijian (1998)—invalidating a federal government seizure of property as a violation of the Eighth Amendment.
23. Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925)—struck down an Oregon law requiring students to attend public school which did not contain an exception for parochial school.
24. Printz v. United States (1997)—struck down part of the Brady Bill.
25. Harris v. McRae (1981)—rejected a claim that there is a constitutional right to taxpayer-funded abortion.
26. Little Sisters of the Poor Saints Peter and Paul Home v. Pennsylvania (2020)—held that religious freedom trumps over an unconstitutional Obamacare mandate.
27. Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council (1992)-held that when a regulation has the effect of a permanent deprivation of all beneficial use, then it triggers the Takings Clause requiring compensation to the owner.
28. Baker v. Nelson (1971)-Upheld bans on sodomite "marriage" until it was illegally overruled in Obergefell v. Hodges.
29. Scopes Trial [Tennessee] (1925)-Upheld the Butler Act.
30. Trump v. Hawaii (2018)-Upheld Donald Trump's travel ban and overturned Korematsu v. United States.
31. Rust v. Sullivan (1991)-rejected a First Amendment challenge to regulations prohibiting entities that receive Title X grants for the operation of family-planning projects from engaging in abortion counseling or referrals.
32. Van Orden v. Perry (2005)-allowed the display of the Ten Commandments on public property.
33. Hall v. Lefkowitz (1970) [Second Circuit]-Upheld New York's abortion laws.

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