Civil Liberties/Supreme Court Cases (Part of Final) Flashcards
Define civil liberties
- Protections against the government
- Guarantees the safety of persons, opinions, and property from the arbitrary acts of government
Define civil rights
- The rights of individuals to receive equal treatment and to be free from discrimination in a number of settings and based on certain legally protected characteristics
Define relativity of individual rights
- “I have the right to swing my fist, nut that right ends at the tip of your nose”
- I have the right to do what I want as long as it doesn’t affect anyone else
When rights conflict, which right takes priority?
- Decided on a case by case basis
- To be free from outside bias (ie. the press like in the “fugitive case) is a necessity
What is the importance of the 14 amendment?
- The concept of selective incorporation (extends federal protection to the states)
- Equal protection clause: everybody is supposed to be treated equally within the law
What are the parts of the 14 amendment?
- Due process clause: life, liberty, or property cannot be deprived without due process
- Procedural: the step by step procedure in law that has to be followed
- Substantive: if something is deemed unconstitutional, you can no longer be punished
What is clear and present danger?
Speech that causes danger to individuals or the country as a whole (1st amendment)
What is the establishment clause?
The government cannot establish a religion or keep you from establishing one
What is the Lemon Test and what are its parts?
To help define when someone violates the Establishment Clause
- Primary purpose should be secular
- Must avoid an excessive entanglement of government and religion
- Its primary effect should neither help nor inhibit religion
What is the free exercise clause?
I can believe whatever I want until it hits someone in the face
What is libel?
False and maliciously written material
What is slander?
False and maliciously spoken material
What is prior review?
To monitor what is being printed before it is published (illegal)
What is prior restraint?
Preventing someone from doing something before they do it (illegal)
What is symbolic speech?
Non-verbal speech (protests, giving money to candidates)
What is the exclusionary rule (4th amendment)
Evidence illegally obtained cannot be used in court, no matter how incriminating
What is probable cause?
Must follow the reasonable person standard
What is the Miranda Rule? (5th and 6th amendment)
- Must be stated
- Right to remain silent (prevents testifying against self)
- Right to cousel
What are the bail and death penalty rules? (8th amendment)
- No excessive bail
- Must fit the crime
- No cruel and unusual punishment (according to SCOTUS, death penalty isn’t)
What is the importance of the ninth amendment?
There are more rights that you have than are listed in the constitution