LAW 313 - 10/8/25 - Midterm Exam Guidelines and Chapter Overview

The midterm exam will consist of:
- 20 total questions
- 10 fill-in-the-blank questions
- 10 multiple-choice questions
- 1 essay question
Points allocation:
- Each fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice question: 4 points
- Essay question: 20 points
- Total: 100 points

The review covers material up to the end of Chapter 4.
No official questions or answers will be provided for review.
Content from the exam will only include what has been discussed in class, without requiring textbook purchase.

Note-taking during the exam is not permitted.
The constitution must not be brought into the exam, especially since questions will relate to specific sections and amendments.
Study focus should include constitutional amendments.

Students do not need to memorize case names for the exam, but knowing their significance may aid in the essay response.
Understanding the content/implications of the case is sufficient for the exam.

Preparation for the essay:
- Emphasis on studying class notes provided by the instructor.
- Noted that students typically perform better in essays than in multiple-choice questions, allowing for more discretion in grading.

Notable Supreme Court focused on that time:
- Earl Warren's appointment to Supreme Court by President Eisenhower in 1953.
- Eisenhower's significant actions:
- Initiation of the interstate highway system originally intended for military purposes.
- His background as a general in WWII.
Discussion on how Generals often become Presidents:
- Examples include George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ulysses S. Grant.

Significance: Reversed Plessy v. Ferguson's doctrine of "separate but equal."
Brown case background:
- Brought to court by Thurgood Marshall of the NAACP; aimed to challenge segregated schooling.
- The issues at hand:
- Schools for African Americans were underfunded and unequal compared to white schools.
Facts about the case:
- Originated in Topeka, Kansas.
- Resulted in declaring that segregated schools were inherently unequal.
Supreme Court's reliance on:
- Social and psychological studies highlighting the negative effects of segregation.
- The 14th Amendment, particularly the Equal Protection Clause.

Despite the Brown decision, states resisted integration:
- Significant delay in implementing school integration.
- Notable statistic: By 1964, only 1.2% of Black children in the South attended integrated schools within 10 years post-ruling.

Addressed the non-compliance of states with the original ruling.
Supreme Court's directive for integration was stated to occur with "all deliberate speed."

Established further grounds for desegregation based on social scientific evidence.

Ruling against closing entire schools to avoid integration, reinforcing the 14th Amendment's equal protection.

Addressed attempts by Alabama to undermine the NAACP through legislation and court actions:
- NAACP v. Alabama (1956): Court invalidated state contempt orders against NAACP over revealing membership.
- NAACP v. Alabama ex rel Flowers (1964): Challenged injunction preventing NAACP operations.

Injunction: Court order limiting an entity's actions.
Freedom of Assembly: First Amendment right that protects the NAACP's activities.
Due Process: Rights outlined in the 14th and 5th Amendments related to legal proceedings.

Note that the course will continue exploring topics related to voting rights, housing issues, public accommodations, and administration justice related to race.