Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Flashcards
Selective Incorporation
The Supreme Court applying he Bill of Rights to state law on a case-by-base basis
Freedom of Speech
Ability of a person to freely speak out (1st Amendment)
Clear and Present Danger Test
A person is not allowed to falsely scream out words that incite panic without there being an actual threat
Preferred Position Doctrine
Reflects the Court’s belief that freedom of speech is fundamental to liberty; therefore, any limits must address severe, imminent threats to the nation
Schenck v. United States (1919)
Established the clear and present danger test as prohibited speech
Gitlow v. New York (1925)
Created the Bad Tendency Doctrine (holds that speech could be restricted even if it only has a tendency to lead to illegal action) and also incorporated freedom of speech into state governments
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Court ruled that schools cannot deny students their constitutional rights when they set foot on public school grounds
Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986)
Gave public school officials the authority to suspend students for speech that is considered lewd or indecent
Hustler Magazine v. Falwell (1986)
Parody is not an actionable offense
Texas v. Johnson (1989)
Established that burning the American flag is an example of permissible free speech
Morse v. Frederick (2007)
Court ruling in which students’ free speech was limited (Frederick’s free speech rights were not violated by his suspension)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
Established that corporations have a 1st Amendment right to expressly support political candidates for Congress and Presidency
Freedom of the Press
Ability for a person to write anything they want to
Prior Restraint
Government’s efforts to prevent publication on important matters (struck down by Supreme Court)
Shield Laws
Laws that protect reporters in state cases
Miller v. California (1973)
Established a three-part obscenity test (Would a normal person judge it to be explicit?, Does the work lack other value?, Does the work depict sexual behavior offensively?)
Near v. Minnesota (1931)
Established that state injunctions to prevent publication violate the freedom of the press
New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)
Ruled that if a newspaper prints a false article that they thought to be true at the time, they have not committed libel
New York Times v. U.S. (1971)
Executive efforts to prevent publication violate the 1st Amendment
Hazelwood School v. Kuhlmeier (1988)
Held that school officials have sweeping authority to regulate free speech in student-run newspapers
Freedom of Assembly
Ability to form groups and protest peacefully
Freedom of Association
The government may not restrict the number or type of groups or organizations people belong to, provided those groups do not threaten national security
Thornhill v. Alabama (1940)
Ruled that unions were not unlawful
Cox v. New Hampshire (1941)
Cities and towns could legitimately require parade permits in the interest of public order
Lloyd Corporation v. Tanner (1972)
Ruled that protesters have substantially fewer assembly rights in malls and other private establishments
Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000)
Allows private organizations to the right of expressive association, meaning they can choose their own membership and expel members based on sexual orientation even if there is legislation that prohibits it
Freedom of Religion
Right of a citizen to practice their own religion (Court weighs right to expression over society’s needs)
Lemon Test
Three part test that helps to decide whether a law violates the Establishment Clause (Does the law have a secular, rather than religious, purpose?, Does the law neither promote nor discourage religion?, Does the law avoid excessive entanglement of the government and religious institutions?)
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Prohibited state-sponsored recitation of prayer in public schools
Abington School Dist. v. Schempp (1963)
Forbids state-mandated reading of the Bible or recitation of prayer in public schools
Epperson v. Arkansas (1968)
Prohibited states from banning the teaching of evolution in public schools
Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)
Deals with state laws intending to give money to religious schools or causes (Lemon Test is used to determine such laws)
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
Held that parents may remove children from public school for religious reasons
Employment Division v. Smith (1990)
States may accommodate otherwise illegal acts done in pursuit of religious belief, but are not required to do so
Weeks v. United States (1914)
Established the exclusionary rule (Illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in court)
Powell v. Alabama (1932)
State governments must provide counsel in cases involving the death penalty to those who cannot afford it
Betts v. Brady (1942)
Established that state governments did not have to provide lawyers to indigent defendants in capital cases
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Extended the exclusionary rule to the states
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
All state governments must provide an attorney in all cases for those who cannot afford one (threw out Betts v. Brady)
Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)
Held that any defendant who asked for a lawyer had to have one granted to him (or any confession garnered after that point would be inadmissible in court)