landmark cases
Precedent-setting court decisions
Landmark cases are legal decisions that establish important new principles or significantly change existing law.
These rulings—typically from supreme or appellate courts—become reference points for future cases and often reshape society: Brown v. Board of Education is among the most celebrated landmark cases in American history.
The term emphasizes historical significance rather than mere legal precedent.
- Plessy v. FergusonRuling allowing racial separation
- equal protectionUniform legal treatment
- Loving v. VirginiaCase legalizing interracial marriage
- Marbury v. MadisonLandmark ruling establishing judicial review
- precedentPrior authoritative example
Brown v. Board of Education · judicial review · Obergefell v. Hodges · constitutional law · legal history · watershed · Roe v. Wade · dissenting opinion · court ruling · majority opinion · Supreme Court · high court · oral arguments · swing vote · federal judiciary · overturned · appellate court · appeals process
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