24 Supreme Court Cases Every Presidential Candidate Should Know

From Marbury to Roe: Our Pick for Essential Supreme Court Rulings

ByABC News
January 5, 2012, 10:43 AM

Jan. 6, 2012 -- intro: When Texas Gov. Rick Perry referred to Justice Sonia Sotomayor as "Montemayor" and mistakenly referred to the eight members of the Supreme Court (there are nine), he was forgiven by some. But when he forgot the name of the landmark gay rights case decided while he was governor, eyes began to roll.

Refresh this man's memory!

In October 2008, during the last campaign, Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin stumbled on similar ground. Asked by Katie Couric, then anchor of the "CBS Evening News," to name one Supreme Court decision besides Roe v. Wade that she believed was wrongly decided she drew a blank.

So which cases should go in the briefing book for any presidential candidate?