Civil Liberties Flashcards
Civil Liberties vs Civil Rights
Civil Liberties: What the government CANNOT do
Civil Rights: What the government MUST do
dual citizenship
each american citizen is a citizen of the National Government and SEPARATELY a citizen of the state they reside in
Barron v. Baltimore
-established dual citizenship
-started the process of incorporation
-city of Baltimore disposed of sand and gravel in John Barron’s wharf, he claimed that they cannot do that without compensation (5th amendment)
- SCOTUS ruled in favor of Baltimore, state constitution contained no action like the 5th amendment
Amendment I: Limits on _______
Congress
congress cannot make any law establishing a national religion, abridging freedoms of religious exercise, speech, assembly, or petition
Amendments II, III, IV: Limits on _______
the executive:
cannot infringe on the right of people to bear arms (II)
cannot take houses for the militia (III)
cannot search for/ seize evidence or arrest people without a court warrant swearing to the probable existence of a crime (IV)
Amendments V, VI, VII, VIII: Limits on ________
the judiciary:
cannot hold trials for serious offenses without a grand jury (V), a trial jury (VII), a speedy trial (VI), presentation of charges and confrontation by the accused of hostile witnesses (VI)
no property can be taken without just compensation (V)
immunity from testimony against oneself, and immunity from trial more than once for the same offense (double jeopardy) (V)
neither bail nor punishment can be excessive (VIII)
Amendments IX, X: Limits on ___________
the National Government:
the enumeration of certain rights in the constitution should not be interpreted to mean that those are the only rights the people have (IX)
any rights not enumerated are reserved to the states or the people (X)
strict scrutiny
the strictest standard of judicial review of a government’s actions, in which the government must show that the law serves a “compelling state interest”
establishment clause
says that congress shall make no law respecting on establishment of religion
Lemon Test
rule articulated in Lemon v. Kurtzman; says governmental action with respect to religion is permissible if it is 1. secular in purpose, 2. it’s effect was neither to advance or inhibit religion, and 3. it did not entangle government and religious institutions in each others affairs
free exercise clause
protects the right to believe and practice whatever religion one chooses, also protects the right to be a nonbeliever
speech plus
speech accompanied by activities such as sit-ins, picketing, and demonstrations
prior restraint
an effort by a government agency to block publication of material by a newspaper/ magazine; aka censorship
libel
written statement made in “reckless disregard to the truth” and considered damaging to a victim because it is “malicious, scandalous, and defamatory”
slander
oral statement made in “reckless disregard to the truth” and considered damaging to a victim because it is “malicious, scandalous, and defamatory”
fighting words
speech that directly incites damaging conduct
due process
requirement that citizens be treated according to the law and be provided adequate protection for individual rights
exclusionary rule
requirement that courts exclude evidence obtained in violation of the 4th amendment
grand jury
a jury that determines whether sufficient evidence is available to justify a trial. does not rule on the accused guilt/ innocence
Miranda Rule
requirement derived from the supreme court ruling in Miranda v. Arizona (1966) that persons under arrest must be informed of their legal rights, including the right to counsel before undergoing police investigation
read by cops to people
only mirandized if you are in custody/ being questioned
Civil Liberties
constitutional and legal protections from government interference into citizens personal freedoms
why was the bill of rights added?
to make the anti-federalists happy and ratify the constitution