A state statute requires all state law enforcement officers to be U.S. citizens. A legal alien, lawfully admitted to permanent residency five years before the enactment of this statute, sought employment as a forensic pathologist in a state coroner’s office. He was denied the job, solely because he is not a citizen.The alien thereupon brought suit in federal district court against appropriate state officials, seeking to invalidate this citizenship requirement on federal constitutional grounds.The strongest ground upon which to attack the citizenship requirement is that it:

The State of Ames has banned all employment of children under 17 years of age. “Employment” is defined broadly as any job, task, service, or undertaking for which the child receives compensation in cash or in kind. Which of the following parties would have the greatest chance of successfully challenging the statute?

A state law provides that a person who has been divorced may not marry again unless he or she is current on all child-support payments. A woman who was refused a marriage license pursuant to this law sued the appropriate state officials.  What standard should the court apply in reviewing the constitutionality of this law? 

During an anti-globalization protest in Washington, D.C., participants heard from a variety of speakers who denounced globalization in general and multinational corporations in particular. One speaker, David, pointed toward a McDonald’s across the street from the park in which the protest was being held, called for “regime change in McDonald-land,” and led the crowd in the following chant: “McDonald’s is for clowns. We oughta burn it down.” David then relinquished the microphone and left the stage without incident. The following week, the McDonald’s was put to the torch by unknown persons. David is charged with violating a local law against inciting someone to damage the property of others. He is convicted. On appeal, David argues that his speech was protected by the First Amendment. The appeals court should:

A section of Main Street in Ames City is a pedestrian thoroughfare offering easy, traffic-free access to public and private buildings. There is a grassy area in the square in which the city has placed benches. All citizens are encouraged to use the area, and local artists have been allowed to display and sell their artwork there. Occasionally, individuals give speeches near the area, in which many people gather. What term best characterizes the space?

Congress passes a law requiring people who donate more than $200 to a political campaign to disclose their names to the government. John Doe wants to donate $500 to a Democratic candidate running for Congress, but he is worried that he will be fired if his boss, a staunch Republican, finds out that he supports Democrats. He sues to have the law declared unconstitutional. Will he prevail?

In order to foster an environment conducive to learning, a school board enacted a dress code that prohibited all public high school students from wearing in school shorts cut above the knee. Because female students at the school considered it unfashionable to wear shorts cut at or below the knee, they no longer wore shorts to school. On the other hand, male students at the school regularly wore shorts cut at or below the knee because they considered such shorts to be fashionable. Female students sued to challenge the constitutionality of the dress code on the ground that it denied them the equal protection of the laws. Should the court uphold the dress code? 

In one state, certain advanced diagnostic medical technologies were located only in hospitals, where they provided a major source of revenue. In many other states, such technologies were also available at “diagnostic centers” that were not affiliated with hospitals. A group of physicians announced its plan to immediately open in the state a diagnostic center that would not be affiliated with a hospital. The state hospital association argued to the state legislature that only hospitals could reliably handle advanced diagnostic medical technologies. The legislature then enacted a law prohibiting the operation in the state of diagnostic centers that were not affiliated with hospitals. The group of physicians filed suit challenging the constitutionality of the state law.  What action should the court take? 

A state statute requires that all new automobiles sold in the state shall be equipped with a certain safety system to protect passengers in the event of a collision. An automobile company that wants to sell automobiles in the state files an action to enjoin enforcement of the statute, arguing that the statute deprives the auto company of its right to contract freely with customers under the Due Process Clause.What is the appropriate burden of proof?

You are a criminal defense lawyer representing a mother and father who were charged with violating the state mandatory school attendance law. They had instructed their son who had just turned age 14 to report to a community woodworking shop instead of school. The state law requires all children to attend school until the age of 16, and the woodshop does not qualify as a school under the law. The parents were warned by local school officials to send their son to school or face a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail for each day of noncompliance. However, they informed the officials that they could not comply with the state law because of their religious views, under which woodworking is an essential spiritual pursuit. The parents were arrested after the son continued to attend the woodshop. At the parents’ criminal trial, which of the following should you request the court to consider in determining whether First Amendment protection applies to the parents’ views?