POSI Civil Liberties

4th Amendment

No unreasonable search except on probable cause

5th Amendment

not compelled to be a witness against oneself

6th Amendment

right to a speedy and public trial, impartial jury

7th Amendment

right to trial by jury

8th Amendment

no cruel and unusual punishment

1st Amendment

freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, petition

Restrictions on free speech

Libel/slander, obscenity that harms morals or encourages violence, “fighting words” that promote violence, slander

Libel Definition

a published false statement that is damaging to a persons reputation. written defamation

Obscenity Definition

depiction of sex in a socially harmful way

Fighting words

designed to provoke a confrontation

Slander Definition

spoken defamation of character

Goal of the Bill of Rights

protect those who were accused of a crime

First 10 amendments of what are the bill of rights

U.S. Constitution

John Milton Beliefs

1. Truth is objective and can be distinguished from falsehood

2. people can discern this truth

3. We should heir on hearing the other side of the argument

John Stuart Mill Beliefs

If it will harm someone else, then it CAN be restricted by government

Civil Liberties

Balancing the right of the individual with community needs and preferences 

how to pass a constitutional amendment

2/3rds of the members of the U.S. house and senate then ¾ of the states can ratify it.

Texas Judges

Elected by voters

Federal Judges

appointed by president, confirmed by senate

Mapp v Ohio

Violation of 4th amendment, unreasonable search, evidence found illegally cannot be used in federal court

Miranda v Arizona

requirement for law enforcement to inform suspects of their right to remain silent and to have an attrney present

Riley v California

unreasonable search of digital information on a cell phone seized from an arrested person.

New York Times v Sullivan

established “actual malice” as a libel standard

Lemon v Kurtzman

Government can accommodate religion if it serves a secular or non-religious purpose (Lemon test). Taxes can support teachers of secular subjects in religious schools.

Civil rights policy goal

increasing fairness that has seemed hard to achieve

13th Amendment

Ended Slavery

14th Amendment

Equal protection

15th Amendment

Guaranteed the right to vote

Brown v Board of Education

segregation must end

ended segregation

Civil Rights Act of 1964

19th Amendment

Gave women the right to vote in 1920

Jim Crow era

Seperated the races

Plessey v Ferguson

separate but equal does not violate the 14th amendment

Voting Rights Act of 1965

protected voting rights of minorities