Bar Exam Con Law Standards Of Review

Front 1

Requirements for state to modify contracts

Back 1

1) only EXISTING contracts (Contracts Clause)
2) reasonable impairment
3) necessary for an important public interest (int. scrut.)

Front 2

Takings - Compensation

Back 2

(5th Amend, 14th Amend)
1) permanent physical occupation
2) deny all economically viable use of land = regulatory / inverse taking
3) NOT zoning
4) Full Market Value

Front 3

10th Amendment

Back 3

1) states cannot be forced into particular laws
2) state sovereign immunity in state courts

Front 4

State burdening commerce

Back 4

1) pure intrastrate is ok
2) NEVER foreign commerce
3) interstate -- discriminatory = NEVER, non-discriminatory= balance state interest and the burden on commerce.

Front 5

Market participant exception

Back 5

1) A state acting as a private buyer or seller may discriminate in favor of residents
2) CANNOT contract or regulate in a discriminatory manner

Front 6

state taxes on foreign and interstate commerce

Back 6

MUST be NON-DISCRIMINATORY
interstate = SNARE
1) Substantial Nexus
2) Apportioned
3) RElate to state services

Front 7

Privileges and Immunities problems

Back 7

1) State discriminates against out of state citizen (NOT corp or alien)
2) fundamental right or civil liberty
3) closely related to a substantial state purpose
4) least restrictive means

Front 8

Equal Protection -- Discriminatory Classes -- Suspect

Back 8

1) Race, national origin, alienage
2) Discriminatory motive/administration/facial needed
3)Strict = necessary to promote a compelling government interest

Front 9

Equal Protection -- Discriminatory Classes -- Affirmative Action

Back 9

1) Strict scrutiny passes if
2) narrowly tailored, e.g. "one point for race" NO quotas or set-asides
3) Remedying past discrimination

Front 10

Equal Protection -- Discriminatory Classes -- Alienage

Back 10

1) Federal government
2) Illegal aliens
3) Rational basis
4) State/aliens = strict

Front 11

Equal Protection -- fundamental rights

Back 11

1) Undue burdens (penalizing or restricting) on
2) Fundamental rights (love, sex, family, voting, interstate travel)
3) Strict Scrutiny = necessary for a compelling government interest, narrow tailoring

Front 12

Equal Protection -- discriminatory classes - Quasi-suspect

Back 12

1) Gender, illegitimacy, (illegal alien children)
2) Intermediate Scrut. = substantially related to an important government interest
3) Gender = exceedingly persuasive justification

Front 13

Equal Protection -- Discriminatory Classes -- Non-suspect

Back 13

1) Rational basis = rationally related to a legitimate government interest.
2) Animus toward a group is not a legitimate interest (gays).

Front 14

First Amend.- vagueness

Back 14

1) inadequate notice of what is prohibited
2) invites arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement
3) chills speeh

Front 15

First Amend. -- overbreadth

Back 15

1) designed to prohibit unprotected speech
2) but prohibits protected speech.

Front 16

Substantive Due Process -- Fundamental rights -- EP difference?

Back 16

EP = class fundamental rights
SDP = general fundamental right impaired

Front 17

Substantive Due Process -- Fundamental rights -- review

Back 17

1) Impairing a fundamental right (includes first amend)
2) Necessary to achieve a compelling government interest

Front 18

First Amend -- Expression -- Content Based regulation

Back 18

1) Obscenity, Defamation and fighting words not protected
2) Commercial speech can be regulated
3) otherwise STRICT = necessary for a compelling government interest + narrow tailoring

Front 19

First Amend -- Expression -- Advocating illegal conduct

Back 19

"Clear and present danger"
1) aim to incite imminent illegal acts
2) likely to produce such acts

Front 20

First Amend -- Expression -- Association -- Illegal

Back 20

1) group advocates illegal activity
2) specific intent to accomplish those goals

Front 21

First Amend -- Expression -- fighting words

Back 21

Can only ban epithets likely to incite immediate retaliation -- "the worst of the worst"

Front 22

First Amend -- Expression -- Obscenity

Back 22

1) community standard for prurient interest
2) Patently offensive sexual content (must be hardcore)
3) lacks serious literary, artistic, social or scientific value (national standard)

Front 23

First Amend -- Expression -- Commercial Speech

Back 23

1) misleading or unlawful activity = no protection
2) Standard = directly advance a substantial government interest
3) not burden more speech than necessary

Front 24

First Amend -- Expression -- public employees

Back 24

Only matters of public concern are protected

Front 25

First Amend -- Expression -- Conduct + expression

Back 25

1) Content neutral regulation
2) regulating the conduct is allowed if -- important government interst
3) no more speech burdened than necessary

Front 26

First Amend -- Expression -- non-public forum -- TPM

Back 26

1) regulation of speech must be content-neutral
2) Reasonably related to a legitimate government interest

Front 27

First Amend -- Expression -- public forum -- TPM

Back 27

1) content neutral
2) narrowly tailored to serve a substantial government interest
3) leave open alternative channels of communication

Front 28

First Amend -- Expression -- school censorship

Back 28

must be school sponsored to regulate content

Front 29

First Amend -- Expression -- prior restraints

Back 29

Never upheld except for trials

Front 30

First Amend -- Association

Back 30

1) Right to associate or not to associate
2) Strict = directly serves a compelling interest
3) least restrictive means

Front 31

First Amend -- Establishment

Back 31

1) secular purpose
2) primary effect not advancing religion
2) not foster excessive entanglement

Front 32

First Amend -- Establishment -- discrimination based on denomination

Back 32

EP analysis -- strict scrutiny = necessary to achieve a compelling government interest

Front 33

First Amend -- Religion -- Burden

Back 33

1) Neutral law of general applicability does not sound in First Amend
2) NOT neutral when targeting a religion -- e.g. sacrificing animal ban directed at Santeria when Kosher slaughter allowed