Due Process and Equal Protection Flashcards
7 cards from real US practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Due Process and Equal Protection flashcards as text
What protection does the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment primarily provide?
Answer: Protection against deprivation of life, liberty, or property without due process
The Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment prohibits states from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
Which Supreme Court case established the 'separate but equal' doctrine that justified racial segregation?
Answer: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) upheld racial segregation laws under the 'separate but equal' doctrine, which remained the law of the land until Brown v. Board of Education overturned it.
What level of judicial scrutiny do courts apply to laws that classify people based on race?
Answer: Strict scrutiny
Strict scrutiny is the most demanding standard of review and is applied to racial classifications because race is a 'suspect classification' under the Equal Protection Clause.
Which constitutional amendment contains the Equal Protection Clause?
Answer: 14th Amendment
The Equal Protection Clause is found in Section 1 of the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War to address the rights of freed slaves.
Which landmark Supreme Court case unanimously overturned the 'separate but equal' doctrine in public education?
Answer: Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) ruled unanimously that racially segregated public schools were inherently unequal and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
What does 'substantive due process' protect?
Answer: Fundamental rights not explicitly listed in the Constitution from government infringement
Substantive due process protects certain fundamental rights from government interference even when proper procedures are followed, looking at the content of laws rather than just their procedures.
What does 'procedural due process' require before the government deprives a person of a protected interest?
Answer: That government provide notice and an opportunity to be heard
Procedural due process requires that the government provide adequate notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard before depriving someone of life, liberty, or property.