CIVIL LIBERTIES AND CIVIL RIGHTS FOR DUMMIES

FREEDOM OF RELIGION

• Government can make a law as long as it doesn't single out a certain religion
• Government can't force school prayer or bible reading
• Government cant interfere with practice of religion
• Government can't establish a national religion

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

• Speech cannot be hindered so long as it doesn't "provoke a clear and present danger".
• Cannot pass out anti war pamphlets
• Government does not protect obscenity and is deemed obscene by certain community judgements
• Actions regarding symbolic expression were protected under the first amendment as long as a threat isn't present
• Flag burning is okay

FREEDOM OF PRESS

• Government cannot prevent media from publishing something
• Government also cannot prevent material from being published
• Search warrants apply to newspapers

FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY

• Assembly is the right to protest, courts ruled groups don't have to share/publish their membership
• Assembly is okay as long as it is peaceful

4TH AMENDMENT

• No unreasonable search and seizure
• Police need probable cause or a warrant to search
• The exclusionary rule was set in Mapp v Ohio stating evidence obtained illegally could not be used in court

5TH AMENDMENT

• No self-incrimination
• The Miranda rights have to be read to suspect
• Government can't use entrapment

6TH AMENDMENT

• Everyone has the right to an attorney in state trials

8TH AMENDMENT

• Death penalty is only okay for extreme crimes
• Cannot exclude death penalty opponents from an attorney
• It's okay for 16-17 year olds to have death penalty

RIGHT TO PRIVACY

• Law banning birth control is unconstitutional
• Abortions are okay in the first trimester
• Abortion in the second trimester can be regulated by government with exception of mothers health
• Abortions in the third trimester are banned except for mothers life

Untitled Slide

AFRICAN AMERICANS AND CIVIL RIGHTS

• Slavery is banned
• Separate but equal is not okay
• Discrimination is not okay in public accommodations

WOMEN AND CIVIL RIGHTS

• The 19th amendment gives all women the right to vote
• Gender discrimination in the workforce for women is banned
• Government cannot force women to take maternity leave
• Discrimination based on pregnancy is banned

GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS

• SC said Boy Scouts could ban gay leaders
• States pass protection laws
• SC denied state constitutional amendments that ok discrimination against gays
• SC said anti-sudomy law in TX was not constitutional