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. Demonstrations near schools that disrupted classes could be legally banned






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






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






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






5. States cannot set term limits on members of congress






6. Fighting words - certain offensive types of speech prohibited






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






8. Forbids execution of defendants who are mentally retarded






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






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






11. Cross burning = 'fighting words' = unconstitutional






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






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






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






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






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






17. 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






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






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






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






21. Separate but equal for races






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






23. Forbids state-mandated bible reading






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






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






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






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






28. Extended exclusionary rule to the states






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






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






31. Established exclusionary rule






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






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






34. Strikes by labor unions are constitutional






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






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






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






38. Gave states more power to regulate abortion






39. Made the CRA 1964 apply to virtually all businesses






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






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






42. You can burn the flag






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. 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