The Hughes Court issued several notable rulings touching on many aspects of American life.
Landmark cases of the Hughes Court include:
Near v. Minnesota (1931): In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Hughes, the court struck down a Minnesota law targeting "malicious" or "scandalous" newspapers.
In so doing, the court rejected prior restraints on newspaper publications, ruling that the First Amendment generally does not allow for the censorship of the press.

Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States (1935): In a 7-2 decision written by Justice Hughes, the court struck down the National Industrial Recovery Act The law had given the president the power to establish "codes of fair competition" in the poultry industry, regulating prices and wages.
The court ruled that Congress did not have the power to pass the law under the Commerce Clause, while at the same time holding that Congress had unconstitutionally delegated its responsibilities to the president.

United States v. Butler (1936): In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Roberts, the court struck down the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which had been passed in order to regulate the production of certain farm products.
The court held that the act was not a true tax but rather a regulation, and struck down the act as a violation of the Tenth Amendment.

United States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp. (1936): In a 7-1 decision written by Justice Sutherland, the Court rejected the appellant's argument that Congress had unconstitutionally delegated power to the president.
The court held that the president has broad powers in regards to foreign affairs.

West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish (1937): In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Hughes, the court upheld minimum wage legislation passed by Washington state.
The court held that freedom of contract is a qualified right rather than an absolute right, and thus must be balanced against the state's right to regulate some economic activities.
The court also held that the minimum wage law did not violate procedural due process.
The decision overturned Adkins v. Children's Hospital (1923), and has often been regarded as the end of the Lochner era, during which the Supreme Court struck down numerous economic regulations on the basis of the doctrine of freedom of contract.

NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. (1937): In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Hughes, the court upheld the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.
The court held that the Commerce Clause gives Congress the power to regulate some intrastate economic activities when those intrastate activities collectively have a strong impact on interstate commerce.

United States v. Carolene Products Co. (1938): In a 6-1 decision written by Justice Stone, the court upheld the Filled Milk Act, which the appellant challenged as unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause and the Due Process Clause.
The case is mostly remembered for Footnote 4, which laid the basis for strict scrutiny, the most exacting standard of judicial review.

Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins (1938): In a 5-2 decision written by Justice Brandeis, the court established the Erie doctrine, which requires federal courts sitting in diversity jurisdiction to use state substantive law.

Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940): In a unanimous decision, the court held that Fourteenth Amendment incorporates the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause.

United States v. Darby Lumber Co. (1941): In a unanimous decision written by Justice Stone, the court upheld the Fair Labor Standards Act as Constitutional under the Commerce Clause.
The act established a federal minimum wage and restricted child labor.
The Hughes Court issued several notable rulings touching on many aspects of American life. Landmark cases of the Hughes Court include:
Near v. Minnesota (1931): In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Hughes, the court struck down a Minnesota law targeting "malicious" or "scandalous" newspapers. In so doing, the court rejected prior restraints on newspaper publications, ruling that the First Amendment generally does not allow for the censorship of the press.
Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States (1935): In a 7-2 decision written by Justice Hughes, the court struck down the National Industrial Recovery Act The law had given the president the power to establish "codes of fair competition" in the poultry industry, regulating prices and wages. The court ruled that Congress did not have the power to pass the law under the Commerce Clause, while at the same time holding that Congress had unconstitutionally delegated its responsibilities to the president.
United States v. Butler (1936): In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Roberts, the court struck down the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which had been passed in order to regulate the production of certain farm products. The court held that the act was not a true tax but rather a regulation, and struck down the act as a violation of the Tenth Amendment.
United States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp. (1936): In a 7-1 decision written by Justice Sutherland, the Court rejected the appellant's argument that Congress had unconstitutionally delegated power to the president. The court held that the president has broad powers in regards to foreign affairs.
West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish (1937): In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Hughes, the court upheld minimum wage legislation passed by Washington state. The court held that freedom of contract is a qualified right rather than an absolute right, and thus must be balanced against the state's right to regulate some economic activities. The court also held that the minimum wage law did not violate procedural due process. The decision overturned Adkins v. Children's Hospital (1923), and has often been regarded as the end of the Lochner era, during which the Supreme Court struck down numerous economic regulations on the basis of the doctrine of freedom of contract.
NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. (1937): In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Hughes, the court upheld the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. The court held that the Commerce Clause gives Congress the power to regulate some intrastate economic activities when those intrastate activities collectively have a strong impact on interstate commerce.
United States v. Carolene Products Co. (1938): In a 6-1 decision written by Justice Stone, the court upheld the Filled Milk Act, which the appellant challenged as unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause and the Due Process Clause. The case is mostly remembered for Footnote 4, which laid the basis for strict scrutiny, the most exacting standard of judicial review.
Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins (1938): In a 5-2 decision written by Justice Brandeis, the court established the Erie doctrine, which requires federal courts sitting in diversity jurisdiction to use state substantive law.
Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940): In a unanimous decision, the court held that Fourteenth Amendment incorporates the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause.
United States v. Darby Lumber Co. (1941): In a unanimous decision written by Justice Stone, the court upheld the Fair Labor Standards Act as Constitutional under the Commerce Clause. The act established a federal minimum wage and restricted child labor.
Hughes Court