Worst ruling in Supreme Court history

[A18]

The worst Supreme Court ruling in the history of the United States is Reynolds v. Sims.

[Lunar]

The worst Supreme Court ruling in the history of the United States is Reynolds v. Sims.

Because it gave everyone equal power in the House...boo hoo.  Even if you'd prefer if it went the other way, you can't even consider it to be the worst. 

[stry_cat]

The worst Supreme Court ruling in the history of the United States is Reynolds v. Sims.

Never heard of it, but after looking it up it was yet another blow to the sovereignty of the states.   

I'm not sure any one ruling was the worst.  There have been a number of very bad ones.  I agree with the person who said "McConnell v. FEC is the worst recent case." 

Anyway, I'm kinda suprised that no one has said Marbury v. Madison yet.  While I agree the SCOTUS can determine if Congress or the President has violated the Constitution,  It was clearly a political ruling.  I found an interesting critique of it here.  I'd add that one other problem with it, is that the position Marbury was trying to get had already been eliminated, so no action by the court could fix the problem.

[stry_cat]

Look the word up. "I talk about opposing judicial activism, but then I turn around and support it."

Anything that people are opposed to they call judicial activism. The very argument about abortion is whether the law supports it or not. Most pro-choice people think Roe v. Wade was not judicial activism while most pro-life people probably do.

Actually I'm pro-choice and I think Roe v. Wade was judicial activism.  The abortion question should be decided by Congress.

[A18]

Look the word up. "I talk about opposing judicial activism, but then I turn around and support it."

Anything that people are opposed to they call judicial activism. The very argument about abortion is whether the law supports it or not. Most pro-choice people think Roe v. Wade was not judicial activism while most pro-life people probably do.

Actually I'm pro-choice and I think Roe v. Wade was judicial activism.  The abortion question should be decided by Congress.

My opinion is that it should be decided by the state legislatures, as Congress has no constitutional authority to protect life of any kind except on federal property like DC.

[7,052,770]

obviously Plessy v. Ferguson and Dred Scott, but also Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, which ruled that high school newspapers were not protected by the first amendment.
In the case, a principal had censored an article about pregnancy saying it was inappropriate, and though a district court ruled in the students' favor, the supreme court ruled in favor of the school.
Coming from a school where the principal censors everything in our high school newspaper (she even censored an entire article about TV shows because it mentioned that some people like Queer Eye and she doesn't support homosexualiy).  Obviously, HS newspapers shouldn't be allowed to print mean-spirited or libelous articles, but articles that are true about subjects such as responsible sex or abortion that show both sides should not be censored; the students need to read them.

[Brandon H]

I would say either Dred Scott or Roe v. Wade. Both discriminated against certain people saying they do not have rights. Dred Scott and other blacks were being deprived of the right to liberty and the unborn are being deprived of the right to life. This country realized that blacks are people whose rights must be protected and one day this country will realize that unborn children are people whose rights must be protected.

[Redefeatbush04]

The Dred Scott decision was by far the worst supreme court decision ever. It caused a huge public outcry in the north and indirectly led to the civil war. Taney ruled that since Scott was a "Negro" he could never become a citizen. He also invalidated the Missouri Compromise. It was judicial activism in its worst form.

[A18]

Reynolds v. Sims is just terrible. It did to State Senates what the 17th amendment did to the federal Senate - completely ruined them.

[Schmitz in 1972]

Dred Scott and Korematsu were terrible, but both slavery and internment were over within ten years of the decision. On the other hand, McCulluch and Roe are still impacting us today. That is why I chose those instead of Dred Scott

[A18]

What is McCulluch?

[J. J.]

What is McCulluch?

McCulluch v. Maryland.  It ruled that the state could not tax national property.  Marshall stated that, "The power to tax is the power to destroy."

[A18]

Well that's straight out of the Constitution:

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, byCession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And

[Schmitz in 1972]

McCulloch is most notable because it granted congress the power to create virtually any law they choose under the "necessary and proper" clause. This was a monumental decision in favor of governmental power

[A18]

McCulloch is most notable because it granted congress the power to create virtually any law they choose under the "necessary and proper" clause. This was a monumental decision in favor of governmental power

Then that part is total nonsense. The Constitution says:

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

What foregoing power was being carried into execution, and how necessary was it?

[A18]

I'd also like to point out that this is why so called "sensible" Republicans who say they'd vote for a guy like Evan Bayh irritate me so much, even when against an extremist Republican. We need Republicans to appoint real constructionists[/i] to the Supreme Court to overturn this kind of trash.

Four years of a moderate Democrat means another generation of extremist liberal garbage legislated from the Supreme Court. Just ask BRTD how much he cares what the Constitution says, or about people breaking the oath of office.

[Akno21]

Reynolds v. Sims is just terrible. It did to State Senates what the 17th amendment did to the federal Senate - completely ruined them.

They were abusing their power.

[A18]

I agree that the Supreme Court was just abusing its power. Happens a lot, though.

[??????????]

Where can I get a list of supreme court rulings from? I need to see a list to make a decision.

[Lunar]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landmark_case

[J. J.]

Reynolds v. Sims is just terrible. It did to State Senates what the 17th amendment did to the federal Senate - completely ruined them.

I disagree because counties are not states or like states.

[A18]

Reynolds v. Sims is just terrible. It did to State Senates what the 17th amendment did to the federal Senate - completely ruined them.

I disagree because counties are not states or like states.

But what's unconstitutional about a state treating counties like states?

[??????????]

United States vs Virginia.

[A18]

United States vs Virginia.

What's that?

[??????????]

http://archive.aclu.org/court/vmi.html

There you go philip.