Court cases
The decisions that shaped your rights.
Landmark cases, each broken down the same way: the facts, the question, the ruling, and why it still matters in your life today.
Case of the week
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Riley v. California
573 U.S. 373 (2014) · 9–0 decision
The facts
Police searched a man’s smartphone after an arrest and used the data against him at trial.
The issue
Does searching a phone without a warrant violate the Fourth Amendment?
The decision
Yes. Police generally need a warrant to search the data on a phone — even after a lawful arrest.
Why it matters
Your phone holds your whole life. The Court said that privacy deserves real protection.
The case files
More landmark cases.
First Amendment · Schools
Tinker v. Des Moines
393 U.S. 503 (1969) · 7–2
Students wore armbands to protest the Vietnam War. The Court held they don’t “shed their rights at the schoolhouse gate.”
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Fourth Amendment · Schools
New Jersey v. T.L.O.
469 U.S. 325 (1985) · 6–3
A student’s purse was searched at school. The Court set the “reasonable suspicion” standard for school searches. Meanwhile, the full story lives inside our article: Can schools search your backpack?
In research · breakdown coming soon
Fifth Amendment · Police
Miranda v. Arizona
384 U.S. 436 (1966) · 5–4
Where the famous “right to remain silent” warning comes from — and what it actually does and doesn’t cover.
In research · breakdown coming soon
First Amendment · Students online
Mahanoy Area S.D. v. B.L.
594 U.S. ___ (2021) · 8–1
A cheerleader’s off-campus Snapchat post. The Court limited how far schools can reach into student speech online.
In research · breakdown coming soon
Fourth Amendment · Privacy
Carpenter v. United States
585 U.S. 296 (2018) · 5–4
Cell-phone location records and the warrant requirement — privacy law catching up to your everyday tech.
In research · breakdown coming soon
First Amendment · Speech
Brandenburg v. Ohio
395 U.S. 444 (1969) · per curiam
The line between protected speech and incitement — the test courts still use for the most heated speech.
In research · breakdown coming soon