THE 21 MOST FAMOUS SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

Marbury v. Madison. Plessy v. Ferguson. Roe v. Wade. Bush v. Gore.

And now, Obergefell v. Hodges. The Supreme Court's decision on same- sex marriage instantly will enter the pantheon of landmark Supreme Court cases, and for good reason. It settles the major civil rights issue of the early 21st century. Here's a look at the court's most famous decisions: Marbury v. Madison, 1803 ( 4- 0 decision) Established the Supreme Court's power of judicial review over Congress.

McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819 ( 7- 0 decision) Established the federal government's implied powers over the states.

Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857 ( 7- 2 decision)

Denied citizenship to African American slaves.

Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 ( 7- 1 decision) Upheld "separate but equal" segregation laws in states.

Korematsu v. United States, 1944 ( 6- 3 decision) Upheld internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Brown v. Board of Education, 1954 ( 9- 0 decision) Separating black and white students in public schools is unconstitutional.

Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963 ( 9- 0 decision) Criminal defendants have a right to an attorney even if they cannot afford one. New York Times v. Sullivan, 1964 ( 9- 0 decision) Lawsuits based on libel or defamation

must show intent or recklessness. Miranda v. Arizona, 1966 ( 5- 4 decision) Prisoners must be advised of their rights before being questioned by police. Loving v. Virginia, 1967 ( 9- 0 decision)

Invalidated state laws prohibiting interracial marriage.

Roe v. Wade, 1973 ( 7- 2 decision) Women have a constitutional right to an abortion during the first two trimesters.

United States v. Nixon, 1974 ( 8- 0 decision) President cannot use executive privilege to withhold evidence from criminal trial. Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 1978 ( 5- 4 decision) Upheld use of race as one of many factors in college admissions.

Bush v. Gore, 2000 ( 5- 4 decision) No recount of the 2000 presidential election was feasible in a reasonable time period.

Lawrence v. Texas, 2003 ( 6- 3 decision) Struck down state laws that prohibited sodomy between consenting adults.

District of Columbia v. Heller, 2008 ( 5- 4 decision) Citizens have a right to possess firearms at home for self- defense. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 2010 ( 5- 4 decision) Corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts in elections. National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, 2012 ( 5- 4 decision) Upheld the mandate that most Americans have health insurance.

Shelby County v. Holder, 2013 ( 5- 4 decision) States and localities do not need federal approval to change voting laws.

United States v. Windsor, 2013 ( 5- 4 decision) Federal government must provide benefits to legally married same- sex couples.

Obergefell v. Hodges, 2015 ( 5- 4 decision)

Same- sex marriage is legalized across all 50 states.

TIM DILLON, USA TODAY A student strike in Farmville, Va., in 1951 eventually led to the Brown case.

TIM DILLON, USA TODAY