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. First time court overturned state law on constitutional grounds.






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






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






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






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






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






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






8. Fighting words - certain offensive types of speech prohibited






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






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






11. Established exclusionary rule






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






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






14. Separate is not equal






15. Forbids execution of defendants who are mentally retarded






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






17. Invalidated 1989 Flag Protection Act






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






19. 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






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






21. States cannot set term limits on members of congress






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






23. Cross burning = 'fighting words' = unconstitutional






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






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






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






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






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






29. Forbids state-mandated bible reading






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






31. Segregate with al 'due and deliberate speed'






32. Gave states more power to regulate abortion






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






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






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






36. Extended exclusionary rule to the states






37. Federal wiretaps of phone conversation is constitutional






38. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






46. You can burn the flag






47. Strikes by labor unions are constitutional






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






49. Right to privacy






50. 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