Court Cases and You...

Trying to understand the law can be a scary and confusing feat, but adding case law into the mix makes it an even tougher mountain to climb. What makes it worse is that many of the laws that directly affect the way we interact with each other and the world around us come from U.S. Supreme Court decisions and case law.

Don’t believe me? You can look around your classroom or your employee lounge and see the diversity of peoples, courtesy of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which made segregation illegal. If you’re feeling dissatisfied with U.S. policy, feel free to burn a flag, but don’t forget to thank Texas v. Johnson for your right to symbolic expression. Do you wonder why comedians can make ludicrous, but still more hilarious and amusing, statements about political figures and still be worry free of racking up a defamation law suit? Look to the case of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, from whence cometh your help.

The fact of the matter is that case law is not only important to the evolution of law but to the well-being of American citizens. America is the land of the free, and a liberated people begin with an informed person. These next few pages are designed to help you shake off the shackles of ignorance by giving you the tools to become more confident in your ability to read and interpret United States Supreme Court decisions and opinions.