Rights to Life, Liberty, and Property

Question 1

Naturalization

Answer 1

A legal action conferring citizenship on an alien

Question 2

Dual Citizenship

Answer 2

CItizenship in multiple nations

Question 3

Right of Expatriation

Answer 3

The right to renounce one’s citizenship

Question 4

Property Rights

Answer 4

The rights of an individual to own, use, rent, invest in, buy, and sell property

Question 5

Contract Clause

Answer 5

Clause of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 10) originally intended to prohibit state governments from modifying contracts made between individuals; for a while interpreted as prohibiting state governments from taking actions that adversely affect property rights; no longer interpreted so broadly and no longer constrains state governments from exercising their police powers

Question 6

Police Powers

Answer 6

Inherent Powers of state governments to pass laws to protect the public health, safety, and selfare; the national government has no directly granted police powers but accomplishes the same goals through other delegated powers

Question 7

Eminent Domain

Answer 7

Power of a government to take private property for public use; the US Constitution gives national and state governments this power and requires them to provide just compensation for property so taken

Question 8

Regulatory Taking

Answer 8

Government regulation of property so extensive that government is deemed to have taken the property by the power of eminent domain, for which it must compensate the property owners

Question 9

Due Process

Answer 9

Established rules and regulations that restrain government officials

Question 10

Procedural Due Process

Answer 10

Constitutional requirement that governments proceed by proper methods; limits how government may exercise power

Question 11

Substantive Due Process

Answer 11

Constitutional requirement that governments act reasonably and that the substance of the laws themselves be fair and reasonable; limits what the government may do

Question 12

Search Warrant

Answer 12

A writ issued by a magistrate that authorizes the police to search a particular place or person, specifying the place to be searched and the objects to be seized

Question 13

Racial Profiling

Answer 13

Police targeting of racial minorities as potential suspects of criminal activities

Question 14

Exclusionary Rule

Answer 14

Requirement that evidence unconstitutionally or illegally obtained be excluded from a criminal trial

Question 15

Immunity

Answer 15

Exemption from prosecution for a particular crime in return for testimony pertaining to the case

Question 16

Grand Jury

Answer 16

A jury of 12 to 23 persons who, in private, hear evidence presented by the government to determine whether persons shall be required to stand trial. If the jury believes there is sufficient evidence that a crime was committed, it issues an indictment

Question 17

Indictment

Answer 17

A formal written statement from a grand jury charging an individual with an offense; also called a true bill

Question 18

Plea Bargain

Answer 18

Agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand trial for more serious offense

Question 19

Petit Jury

Answer 19

A jury of 6 to 12 persons that determines guilt or innocence in a civil or criminal action

Question 20

Double Jeopardy

Answer 20

Trial or punishment for the same crime by the same government; forbidden by the Constitution

Question 21

Community Policing

Answer 21

Assigning police to neighborhoods where they walk the beat and work with churches and other community groups to reduce crime and improve relations with minorities