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






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






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






4. African Americans denied right to vote in primaries = violate fifteenth amendment






5. Protesters have substantially fewer assembly rights in malls and other private establishments






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






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






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






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






10. Extended exclusionary rule to the states






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






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






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






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






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






16. Strikes by labor unions are constitutional






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






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






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






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






21. Fighting words - certain offensive types of speech prohibited






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






23. Forbids state-mandated bible reading






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






25. Forbids execution of defendants who are mentally retarded






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






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






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






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






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






31. Established judicial review






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






33. States cannot set term limits on members of congress






34. Cross burning = 'fighting words' = unconstitutional






35. Prohibited state-sponsored recitation of prayer in public schools






36. Right to privacy






37. Segregate with al 'due and deliberate speed'






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






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






40. 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






41. Not libel when they thought it was true at the time of printing






42. Intentional infliction of emotional distress was permissible First Amendment speech as long as it was about a public official - and no one would actually think it was fact






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. First time court overturned state law on constitutional grounds.