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. All state governments must provide an attorney in all cases for those who can't afford one - powerful repudiation of Betts v Brady






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






3. All defendants must be informed of legal rights before they are arrested






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






5. Prohibited states from banning teaching of evolution in public schools






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






7. States cannot set term limits on members of congress






8. Parents may remove children from public school for religious reasons






9. Gave states more power to regulate abortion






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






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






12. Demonstrations near schools that disrupted classes could be legally banned






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






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






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






16. Federal courts = final authority on creation of house districts






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






18. Cross burning = 'fighting words' = unconstitutional






19. Invalidated 1989 Flag Protection Act






20. Established judicial review






21. Confessions given immediately before rights are given means the confession is still admissible






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






23. Commerce clause of the constitution does not give congress the power to regulate guns near state operated schools






24. Right to privacy






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






26. Overruled Powell - state govs do not have to provide lawyers to indigent defendants in capital cases






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






28. Established exclusionary rule






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






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






31. Fighting words - certain offensive types of speech prohibited






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






33. NC makes mandatory punishment for certain crimes - deemed unconstitutional






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






35. Secular rather than religious purpose? neither promote nor discourage religion? avoid 'excessive entanglement?'






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






37. Federal wiretaps of phone conversation is constitutional






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






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






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






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






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






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






44. Extended exclusionary rule to the states






45. Strikes by labor unions are constitutional






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






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






48. Forbids state-mandated bible reading






49. Segregate with al 'due and deliberate speed'






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