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. States cannot set term limits on members of congress






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






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






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






5. Segregate with al 'due and deliberate speed'






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






7. Strikes by labor unions are constitutional






8. Right to privacy






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






17. Forbids state-mandated bible reading






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






19. Cross burning = 'fighting words' = unconstitutional






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






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






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






23. You can burn the flag






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






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






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






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






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






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






30. Separate is not equal






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






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






33. Extended exclusionary rule to the states






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






35. 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






36. Fighting words - certain offensive types of speech prohibited






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






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






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






40. Invalidated 1989 Flag Protection Act






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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