Test your basic knowledge |

Important Court Cases

Subject : law
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. African Americans denied right to vote in primaries = violate fifteenth amendment






2. States can regulate abortion but not with regulations that impose an 'undue burden' on women






3. Halt to all death penalty punishments in nation until a less arbitrary method of sentencing was found






4. Right to privacy






5. Established judicial review






6. Invalidated 1989 Flag Protection Act






7. Banned presidential use of a line=item veto as a violation of legislative powers.






8. Fighting words - certain offensive types of speech prohibited






9. No such thing as executive privilege in criminal cases - but definitely at other times






10. Selectively incorporates freedom of the press - prevents prior restraint -state injunctions to prevent publication unconstitutional






11. Court rebuffed an attempt by state of New Hampshire to take control of Dartmouth by holding that Dartmouth's corporate charter was qualified as a contract between private parties






12. State govs must provide counsel in cases involving the death penalty to those who can't afford it






13. Ordered house districts to be near as equal as possible - enshrined principal of 'one man - one vote.'






14. Citizens of Japanese descent could be interned and deprived of basic constitutional rights due to executive order






15. Separate but equal for races






16. Race-based affirmative action was permissible so long as it was in the service of creating greater diversity






17. Executive efforts to prevent publication forbidden (Ellsburg & Vietnam)






18. Giving money to political campaign = free speech - so wealthy people can now spend as much of their own money as they want if they choose to run for federal office






19. States not allowed to prevent or punish inflammatory speech unless it will lead to imminent lawless action






20. Legitimate use of eminent domain - town wanting to buy private land and turn it over to private developers






21. Overturned Olmstead - warrants were required to listen in on phone conversation






22. Peaceable assembly for lawful discussion cannot be made a crime - selectively incorporated right to lawful assembly to all state governments






23. NY could not grant steamship company monopoly - increased federal power over interstate commerce






24. Any defendant who asked for a lawyer had to have one granted to him - or any confession after that point is inadmissible






25. Gave states more power to regulate abortion






26. Florida recount in 2000 election was a violation of fourteenth amendment's equal protection clause






27. School district can suspend students for lewd or indecent speech






28. Helped states to engage in eminent domain - said that fifth amendment right to take private property for public use is legal for states without eminent domain






29. Forbids state-mandated bible reading






30. State prohibition of consensual sodomy in private is unreasonable invasion of privacy






31. Cities could legitimately require parade permits in the interest of pubic order (Jehovah's Witnesses march w/out permit)






32. Threw out undergraduate system of selection - generally upheld Bakke






33. States cannot set term limits on members of congress






34. FCRA mandated that places of public accommodation are prohibited from discrimination against blacks






35. Established national abortion guidelines by extending inferred right of privacy from Griswold






36. Made the CRA 1964 apply to virtually all businesses






37. Cross burning = 'fighting words' = unconstitutional






38. Libel and obscenity not protected by first amendment - so three-part obscenity test established






39. BSA could expel any homosexual member they wanted because of first amendment right of expressive association






40. Mandated 21-year-old drinking age (if you don't feds will take away all federal highway funds






41. Fed can limit speech that doesn't lead to action (upholding Smith Act - which made it a crime to support any communist organization)






42. Forbids execution of defendants who are mentally retarded






43. Students don't 'shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse door -' Iowa students suspended for wearing armbands to protest Vietnam war






44. Segregate with al 'due and deliberate speed'






45. 'Bad Tendency Doctrine -' speech restricted if it has tendency to lead to illegal actions; selectively incorporated freedom of speech to states






46. Established exclusionary rule






47. Race cannot be sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative district boundaries (1982 VRA wants them to do that - though)






48. Strikes by labor unions are constitutional






49. Clear and present danger (yelling fire) - Holmes






50. States did not have power to tax the national bank - reinforces supremacy clause