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






2. Forbids execution of defendants who are mentally retarded






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






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






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






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






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






8. Segregate with al 'due and deliberate speed'






9. You can burn the flag






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






17. Established judicial review






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






19. Race cannot be sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative district boundaries (1982 VRA wants them to do that - though)






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






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






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






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






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






25. Federal wiretaps of phone conversation is constitutional






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






27. Extended exclusionary rule to the states






28. Cross burning = 'fighting words' = unconstitutional






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






30. 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






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






32. Gave states more power to regulate abortion






33. Forbids state-mandated bible reading






34. Invalidated 1989 Flag Protection Act






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






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






37. Fighting words - certain offensive types of speech prohibited






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






39. Separate is not equal






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






41. Separate but equal for races






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






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






44. States cannot set term limits on members of congress






45. 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






46. 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






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






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






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






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