Question 1

In cases like Hernandez v.State,Texas argued there was no discrimination against Mexican-American because:

Accepted Answer

In Hernandez v. State, Texas argued there was no discrimination against Mexican-Americans because they classified Mexican-Americans as white.

Question 2

A basic tenet of criminal law is that individuals are entitled to equal treatment at trial and that juries should not be asked to convict someone because of that person's race,color,creed,or:

Accepted Answer

National origin is not a relevant factor in determining guilt or innocence and should not be used as a basis for conviction.

Question 3

In__________,a U.S.Court of Appeals held that a plan to subtract the names of white prospective jurors until the proportion of racial minorities in the pool matches the proportion in the population violated the equal protection rights of white jurors.

Accepted Answer

In U.S. v. Ovalle (1998), the court ruled that adjusting the racial composition of a jury pool in this manner was discriminatory and violated the equal protection rights of the individuals whose names were removed.

Question 4

In__________,the USSC ruled a Georgia county's practice of putting the names of white potential jurors on white cards and African American potential jurors on yellow cards,then "randomly" drawing cards to determine who would be summoned for jury duty,as unconstitutional.

Accepted Answer

The case of Avery v. Georgia dealt specifically with the issue of racially discriminatory jury selection and established the principle that a defendant has the right to a jury drawn from a fair cross-section of the community. In this case, the court ruled that the discriminatory practice of using color-coded jury selection cards was unconstitutional.

Question 5

The USSC first addressed racial discrimination in jury selection in:

Accepted Answer

The case of Strauder v. West Virginia in 1880 was the first time the USSC addressed racial discrimination in jury selection. The case found that excluding African Americans from jury service violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Question 6

In__________,the USSC reversed a death sentence murder conviction because the district attorney asked the jury commissioner to limit the number of African Americans and women on the master lists from which potential jurors were chosen.

Accepted Answer

Amadeo v. Zant was the case in which the USSC reversed a death sentence murder conviction because the district attorney asked the jury commissioner to limit the number of African Americans and women on the master lists from which potential jurors were chosen.

Question 7

Concerns about false convictions also are based on research showing not only that a disproportionate number of those exonerated have been racial minorities but that the disparity is particularly stark in cases of:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that a disproportionate number of those exonerated for false convictions have been racial minorities, with a particularly stark disparity in cases of inter-racial sexual assault.

Question 8

The USSC's ruling in __________ rejected the systematic exclusion requirement articulated in Swain v.Alabama (1965):

Accepted Answer

The ruling that rejected the systematic exclusion requirement articulated in Swain v. Alabama (1965) is Batson v. Kentucky (1986). The other options listed are not relevant to this particular issue.

Question 9

Randall Kennedy argues that race conscious jury selection could have _____ consequences.

Accepted Answer

Randall Kennedy argues that race conscious jury selection, while intended to address racial disparities, could have unintended consequences on individual jurors and perpetuate racial bias.

Question 10

The reality is that both sides use their peremptory challenges to:

Accepted Answer

Both sides use their peremptory challenges to strategically remove potential jurors that they believe may be unfavorable to their case or client, which can be seen as an attempt to "stack the deck" in their favor. While they may also claim to be trying to create balance or seat a fair and impartial jury, the primary goal is typically to help their own client.

Question 11

States do not obtain names of potential jurors from which of the following:

Accepted Answer

States do not obtain names of potential jurors from robo call lists as those lists do not contain information about the person's eligibility or suitability as a juror. Voter registration lists, property tax rolls, and automobile registration lists are all commonly used sources for obtaining names of potential jurors.

Question 12

Jury nullification,which has its roots in English common law,occurs when a juror believes that the evidence presented at trial establishes the defendant's guilt but nonetheless votes to ______.

Accepted Answer

Jury nullification occurs when a juror believes that the defendant is guilty based on the evidence presented at trial but chooses to acquit them anyway because they disagree with the law or believe the law is unjustly being applied. Therefore, the best choice is A which means to acquit the defendant.

Question 13

The phrase playing the race card refers to:

Accepted Answer

"Playing the race card" refers to using appeals to racial sentiment or bringing up the issue of race in order to gain an advantage or manipulate a situation. This can occur in a variety of contexts, such as politics, employment, or legal proceedings. It is often viewed as a divisive tactic that can undermine genuine efforts towards equity and justice.

Question 14

In __________,the USSC struck down as "purposeful discrimination" one state's rejection of African Americans for jury duty because they were "not intelligent,experienced,or moral enough to serve as jurors."

Accepted Answer

The case Neal v. Delaware (1882) involved the U.S. Supreme Court striking down Delaware's exclusion of African Americans from jury duty, ruling it as purposeful discrimination.

Question 15

Although appeals to racial sentiment-that is,"playing the race card"-are not unusual in U.S.courts,they are rarely used by defense attorneys representing _________ accused of victimizing whites.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that defendants who are African American are more likely to have their race brought up as a factor in their trial, even when the victim is not white. On the other hand, defense attorneys representing white defendants accused of victimizing non-white individuals rarely use appeals to racial sentiment in court.

Question 16

It is clear that lawyers _____ take the race of the juror into consideration during the jury selection process

Accepted Answer

Lawyers often consider the race of jurors during the jury selection process as part of their strategy to form a jury that may be more favorable to their case, although this practice is controversial and subject to legal restrictions.

Question 17

While Batson seemed to offer hope that the goal of a representative jury was attainable,an examination of cases decided since 1986 suggests:

Accepted Answer

Despite the Batson decision, many cases since 1986 have shown that discrimination in jury selection still persists, suggesting that the goal of a representative jury has not been fully attained.

Question 18

In __________,the USSC held that,in assessing the racial neutrality of a prosecutor's peremptory challenge,the trial court was required to evaluate the genuineness of the prosecutor's explanation,not its reasonableness.

Accepted Answer

In Purkett v. Elem, the US Supreme Court held that in assessing the racial neutrality of a prosecutor's peremptory challenge, the trial court was required to evaluate the genuineness of the prosecutor's explanation, not its reasonableness. This means that the court should focus on whether the prosecutor's stated race-neutral reason for the peremptory challenge is sincere, rather than whether it is a good or plausible reason.

Question 19

In __________,the USSC struck down the "random" selection of jurors from tax books in which the names of white taxpayers were in one section and the names of African American taxpayers were in another.

Accepted Answer

Whitus v. Georgia (1967) is the case where the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the "random" selection of jurors from tax books that segregated names by race, highlighting the discriminatory practice against African American jurors.

Question 20

In theory,the peremptory challenge is used to achieve:

Accepted Answer

The peremptory challenge is a tool used by both the prosecution and defense to remove potential jurors without having to provide a reason. Its purpose is to ensure a fair and impartial jury, as both sides have the opportunity to remove any jurors they believe may be biased or unfit to serve. Therefore, choice A is the correct answer as it aligns with the purpose of the peremptory challenge.

Quiz 6: Justice on the Bench Trial and Adjudication in Criminal Court