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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






10. Fighting words - certain offensive types of speech prohibited






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






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






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






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






15. States cannot set term limits on members of congress






16. Strikes by labor unions are constitutional






17. Invalidated 1989 Flag Protection Act






18. Cross burning = 'fighting words' = unconstitutional






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






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






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






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






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






24. Established exclusionary rule






25. 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






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






27. Established judicial review






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






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






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






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






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






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






34. Federal wiretaps of phone conversation is constitutional






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






36. 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






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






38. 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






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






40. Separate is not equal






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






42. Forbids execution of defendants who are mentally retarded






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






44. Made the CRA 1964 apply to virtually all businesses






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






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






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






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






49. Separate but equal for races






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