The USA Patriot Act

The USA Patriot Act 

A. grants the government new powers of surveillance.
B. relaxed restrictions on the sharing of intelligence surveillance information with criminal investigators.
C. gives intelligence agencies the authority to share crime-related information with law enforcement agencies.
D. was enacted in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
E. All these answers are correct.

Answer: E

Roughly a third of all U.S. executions in the past quarter-century have taken place in

Roughly a third of all U.S. executions in the past quarter-century have taken place in 

A. Vermont.
B. South Carolina.
C. Texas.
D. Alabama.
E. California.

Answer: C

When can police legally begin their interrogation of a suspect?

When can police legally begin their interrogation of a suspect? 

A. immediately upon arrest
B. after the suspect has been warned that his or her words can be used as evidence
C. only after the suspect has met with an attorney
D. after the suspect has been arrested and is in the custody of the police
E. after the suspect has been formally charged with a specific crime

Answer: B

If a person yells "fire" in a crowded theater when there is no fire, and people are hurt in the ensuing panic, that individual abused his/her freedom of speech according to the doctrine of

If a person yells "fire" in a crowded theater when there is no fire, and people are hurt in the ensuing panic, that individual abused his/her freedom of speech according to the doctrine of 

A. malice.
B. clear and present danger.
C. unlawful assembly.
D. privacy.
E. prior restraint.

Answer: B

In the Constitution, procedural due process is protected by the

In the Constitution, procedural due process is protected by the 

A. Fourth Amendment.
B. Fifth Amendment.
C. Sixth Amendment.
D. Eighth Amendment.
E. All these answers are correct.

Answer: E

How did the Supreme Court's position on the rights of the accused in state courts change in the 1960s?

How did the Supreme Court's position on the rights of the accused in state courts change in the 1960s? 

A. The Supreme Court began to allow states greater freedom to interpret the rights of the accused.
B. The Supreme Court began to dramatically reduce federal power to force the states to make special accommodations for the rights of accused minorities.
C. The Supreme Court began to protect the rights of the accused from action by the states.
D. The Supreme Court position did not change noticeably.
E. The Supreme Court ceased to enforce the practice of selective incorporation.

Answer: C

The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court 

A. has ruled that even forms of symbolic speech considered to be dangerous to the public are protected.
B. ruled during the Vietnam war that the burning of draft registration cards was a protected form of symbolic speech.
C. has reduced its protections of symbolic speech dramatically, and recently has ruled against flag burning as a form of protected symbolic speech.
D. has protected symbolic speech much more substantially than it has protected verbal speech.
E. has generally protected symbolic speech, though less substantially than it has protected verbal speech.

Answer: E

Which of the following amendments contains a due process clause?

Which of the following amendments contains a due process clause? 

A. First
B. Tenth
C. Third
D. Fourteenth
E. Twenty-first

Answer: D

The right to counsel is guaranteed by the ________ Amendment.

The right to counsel is guaranteed by the ________ Amendment. 

A. First
B. Fifth
C. Sixth
D. Ninth
E. Tenth




Answer: C

Since the 1980s, the Supreme Court has addressed the exclusionary rule by

Since the 1980s, the Supreme Court has addressed the exclusionary rule by 

A. expanding its application to virtually all criminal cases both at the state and federal levels.
B. determining that the rule was unconstitutional, in that it weakened the effectiveness of the police in maintaining an orderly society.
C. expanding its application to federal cases only.
D. expanding its application to state cases only.
E. None of these answers is correct.

Answer: E

Which constitutional amendment protects the individual against self-incrimination?

Which constitutional amendment protects the individual against self-incrimination? 

A. First
B. Second
C. Fourth
D. Fifth
E. Ninth

Answer: D

"You have the right to remain silent....Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law....You have the right to an attorney". This is called the

"You have the right to remain silent....Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law....You have the right to an attorney". This is called the 

A. preferred position doctrine.
B. clear and present danger test.
C. Miranda warning.
D. fairness doctrine.
E. None of these answers is correct.

Answer: C

In the Johnson flag-burning case, the Supreme Court ruled that

In the Johnson flag-burning case, the Supreme Court ruled that 

A. flag burning is an imminent danger to public safety.
B. flag burning is not symbolic speech.
C. flag burning, although offensive, cannot be prohibited.
D. flag burning can be prohibited by the national government but not by the states.
E. flag burning could be banned by Congress.

Answer: C

Which of the following, relative to the others, is typically more protective of individual rights?

Which of the following, relative to the others, is typically more protective of individual rights? 

A. the U.S. Congress
B. the general public
C. public opinion
D. the presidency
E. the judiciary

Answer: E

The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from

The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from 

A. any search conducted without a warrant.
B. unreasonable searches.
C. unreasonable searches conducted only by federal officers.
D. all searches conducted by state officers.
E. searches conducted only by local officers.

Answer: B

In Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), the justices

In Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), the justices 

A. ruled that states are free to adopt abortion laws of their choosing.
B. reaffirmed the essential aspects of Roe v. Wade.
C. invoked the Ninth Amendment for the first time in an abortion decision.
D. invalidated the right to an abortion in the early months of pregnancy.
E. None of these answers is correct.

Answer: B

The right to privacy was instrumental in which decision?

The right to privacy was instrumental in which decision? 

A. Roe v. Wade
B. Mapp v. Ohio
C. Schenck v. United States
D. Miranda v. Arizona
E. New York Times Co. v. United States

Answer: A

The Supreme Court has reasoned that a right of privacy is provided by

The Supreme Court has reasoned that a right of privacy is provided by 

A. the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
B. the Ninth Amendment, which says that people's rights are not limited to those enumerated in the Constitution.
C. the Tenth Amendment, which reserves to the people and the states those powers not granted to the federal government.
D. the implication of said right by the freedoms in the Bill of Rights.
E. the Civil Rights Act of 1991.

Answer: D

The exclusionary rule states that

The exclusionary rule states that 

A. federal law cannot be applied in state courts.
B. the laws of one state court cannot be applied in the courts of another state.
C. after seven years, the statute of limitations applies, except in murder cases.
D. evidence obtained illegally is inadmissible in court.
E. state law cannot be applied in federal courts.

Answer: D

According to the Supreme Court, prayer in public schools violates

According to the Supreme Court, prayer in public schools violates 

A. the free exercise clause.
B. the establishment clause.
C. the exclusionary rule.
D. procedural due process.
E. the clear and present danger test.

Answer: B