Government

HERE IS AN UPDATED STUDY GUIDE FOR YOUR CHAPTER 3 TEST ON MONDAY!!
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2mk7v8cXovLZ0VLMFNIYmNsck0/edit?usp=sharing


This is what we talked about today.

TODAY IN CLASS:

April 23, 2013

1.               EXCLUSIONARY RULE: A rule that forbids the use of illegally obtained evidence in a criminal trial.

2.               FULL FAITH AND CREDIT CLAUSE: The clause of the U.S. Constitution that provides that the various states must recognize legislative acts, public records, and judicial decisions of the other states within the United States.(4^th Article)

3.               DALE v BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

RELATE TO AN AMENDMENT: First Amendment's expressive associational right

SUMMARY: A Homosexual boy scouts leader sued the Boy Scouts of America when they would not let him be a leader anymore.

RULING: The Supreme Court ruled that a private organization such as the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) can exclude a person from membership when "the presence of that person affects in a significant way the group's ability to advocate public or private viewpoints. The Supreme Court ruled that opposition to homosexuality is part of BSA's "expressive message" and that allowing homosexuals as adult leaders would interfere with that message.

4.               ROPER V SIMMONS:

RELATE TO AN AMENDMENT: 6^th Amendment, Speedy and fair trial and 8^th Amendment, Cruel and Unusual Punishment)

SUMMARY: A juvenile offender was convicted of murder at age 17 and then sentenced to the death penalty the following year despite having been under 18 at the time of the offence (the crime)

RULING: The death penalty may not be imposed for offences committed before reaching age 18 because doing so would

violate the U.S. They reduced his sentence to life from Death.

5.               ROE v WADE

RELATES TO AN AMENDMENT: 9^th Amendment, right to privacy

SUMMARY: A Texas woman challenged a State law forbidding the artificial termination of a pregnancy, saying that she “had a fundamental right to privacy.” To have an abortion or not.

RULING: In favor of ROE. The Court upheld a woman’s right to choose in this case, saying the patient is free to determine, without regulation by the State, that... the patient’s pregnancy should be terminated” if in the first trimester. The decision struck down the State regulation of abortion in the first three months of pregnancy and was modified by Planned Parenthood of Southeastern PA v. Casey, 1992.

6.               Atkins vs. Virginia

He killed someone. The killer was mentally challenged. The supreme ruled in his favor. They changed his sentence from capital punishment till life. Amendment: 8^th Cruel and Unusual Punishment. 

1.               LOVING V. VIRGINIA:

RELATE TO AMENDMENT: 9^th Amendment: Right to privacy

                                    SUMMARY: An interracial couple that married and they were put in jail because it was against the law to marry interracial.

RULING: The Supreme court ruled in favor of the couple.

2.               MAPP V OHIO

                                    RELATE TO AMENDMENT: 4^th Amendment Search and Seizure

SUMMARY: The police searched Mapp’s house saying they had a search warrant but in fact they did not. The police did not find the person they were looking for but they did find sexually explicit books and pictures. She was convicted and sentences to one to seven years in jail.

RULING: The Supreme Court ruled in Mapp’s favor since they seized her stuff without a search warrant. (Exclusionary Rule)