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






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






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






4. Established exclusionary rule






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






6. 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






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






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






9. Right to privacy






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






11. Invalidated 1989 Flag Protection Act






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






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






14. 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






15. Extended exclusionary rule to the states






16. Fighting words - certain offensive types of speech prohibited






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






25. Forbids execution of defendants who are mentally retarded






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






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






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






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






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






31. Separate is not equal






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






33. You can burn the flag






34. Forbids state-mandated bible reading






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






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






37. States cannot set term limits on members of congress






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






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






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






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






42. Gave states more power to regulate abortion






43. Cross burning = 'fighting words' = unconstitutional






44. Established judicial review






45. Federal wiretaps of phone conversation is constitutional






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






47. Strikes by labor unions are constitutional






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






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






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