BLAW 310 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔federal court systems - ✔✔1. US districts courts (trial courts of general jurisdiction)
2. US courts of appeal
3. US supreme court
✔✔what is in personam jurisdiction? - ✔✔jurisdiction over any person or business that
resides in a certain geographic area
✔✔what is in rem jurisdiction? - ✔✔jurisdiction over property within its boundaries
✔✔federal courts have subject-matter jurisdiction in what 2 situations? - ✔✔federal
question: question that pertains to the US constitution, an act of Congress, or a treaty
diversity of citizenship: 1. plaintiff and defendant must reside in 2 different states
2. the controversy amount must exceed $75,000
✔✔what is the sliding-scale standard? - ✔✔standard to determine when courts can
exercise personal jurisdiction over an out-of-state defendant based on the defendant's
Web activities
✔✔who does the highest state court have jurisdiction over? - ✔✔everyone that resides
in that state
✔✔any court having original jurisdiction is known as what? - ✔✔trial court
✔✔what is a subpoena document? - ✔✔is a writ issued by a government agency, most
often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a
penalty for failure
✔✔what is federalism? - ✔✔where the national government and states share sovereign
power
✔✔what is the scope of power of the federal government under federalism? - ✔✔the
constitution sets forth specific powers than can be exercised by the national government
and has implied powers to carry out designated powers
✔✔what is separation of powers? - ✔✔the national government's powers are divided
into 3 separate branches
✔✔what is checks and balances? - ✔✔allows each branch to limit the actions of the
other two branches, preventing one branch from exercising too much power
, ✔✔what is the commerce clause? - ✔✔gives congress the power to regulate interstate
commerce
✔✔what is a dormant commerce clause? - ✔✔the negative aspect of the commerce
clause that the states do not have the authority to regulate interstate commerce
✔✔what are police powers? - ✔✔state regulatory powers that may be exercised to
protect or promote the public order, health, safety, morals, and general welfare
✔✔what is the supremacy clause? - ✔✔requirement that provides that the constitution,
laws, and treaties of the US are the "supreme law of the land"
✔✔what is a preemption? - ✔✔a doctrine under which certain federal laws preempt, or
take precedence over, conflicting state or local laws
✔✔what does the first amendment say? - ✔✔freedom of religion, speech, and the press
and the rights to assemble peaceably and to petition the government
✔✔what is the establishment clause? - ✔✔provision in the first amendment prohibits the
government from establishing any state-sponsored religion or enacting any law that
promotes religion favors one over another
✔✔what does the fourth amendment say? - ✔✔prohibits unreasonable searches and
seizures of persons or property
✔✔what does the fifth amendment say? - ✔✔guarantees the rights to indictment (formal
accusation) by a grand jury, to due process of law, and to far payment when private
property is taken for public use; also prohibits self-incrimination and double jeopardy
✔✔what does the seventh amendment say? - ✔✔guarantees the right to a jury by trial
✔✔what does the tenth amendment say? - ✔✔the powers neither delegated to the
federal government nor denied to the states are reserved for the states
✔✔what does the due process clause say? - ✔✔guarantee that no person shall be
deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law
✔✔what does the privileges and immunities clause say? - ✔✔prevents a state from
treating citizens of other states in a discriminatory manner
✔✔what does the equal protection clause say? - ✔✔provides that no state shall deny to
any person within its jurisdiction "the equal protection of the laws"
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔federal court systems - ✔✔1. US districts courts (trial courts of general jurisdiction)
2. US courts of appeal
3. US supreme court
✔✔what is in personam jurisdiction? - ✔✔jurisdiction over any person or business that
resides in a certain geographic area
✔✔what is in rem jurisdiction? - ✔✔jurisdiction over property within its boundaries
✔✔federal courts have subject-matter jurisdiction in what 2 situations? - ✔✔federal
question: question that pertains to the US constitution, an act of Congress, or a treaty
diversity of citizenship: 1. plaintiff and defendant must reside in 2 different states
2. the controversy amount must exceed $75,000
✔✔what is the sliding-scale standard? - ✔✔standard to determine when courts can
exercise personal jurisdiction over an out-of-state defendant based on the defendant's
Web activities
✔✔who does the highest state court have jurisdiction over? - ✔✔everyone that resides
in that state
✔✔any court having original jurisdiction is known as what? - ✔✔trial court
✔✔what is a subpoena document? - ✔✔is a writ issued by a government agency, most
often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a
penalty for failure
✔✔what is federalism? - ✔✔where the national government and states share sovereign
power
✔✔what is the scope of power of the federal government under federalism? - ✔✔the
constitution sets forth specific powers than can be exercised by the national government
and has implied powers to carry out designated powers
✔✔what is separation of powers? - ✔✔the national government's powers are divided
into 3 separate branches
✔✔what is checks and balances? - ✔✔allows each branch to limit the actions of the
other two branches, preventing one branch from exercising too much power
, ✔✔what is the commerce clause? - ✔✔gives congress the power to regulate interstate
commerce
✔✔what is a dormant commerce clause? - ✔✔the negative aspect of the commerce
clause that the states do not have the authority to regulate interstate commerce
✔✔what are police powers? - ✔✔state regulatory powers that may be exercised to
protect or promote the public order, health, safety, morals, and general welfare
✔✔what is the supremacy clause? - ✔✔requirement that provides that the constitution,
laws, and treaties of the US are the "supreme law of the land"
✔✔what is a preemption? - ✔✔a doctrine under which certain federal laws preempt, or
take precedence over, conflicting state or local laws
✔✔what does the first amendment say? - ✔✔freedom of religion, speech, and the press
and the rights to assemble peaceably and to petition the government
✔✔what is the establishment clause? - ✔✔provision in the first amendment prohibits the
government from establishing any state-sponsored religion or enacting any law that
promotes religion favors one over another
✔✔what does the fourth amendment say? - ✔✔prohibits unreasonable searches and
seizures of persons or property
✔✔what does the fifth amendment say? - ✔✔guarantees the rights to indictment (formal
accusation) by a grand jury, to due process of law, and to far payment when private
property is taken for public use; also prohibits self-incrimination and double jeopardy
✔✔what does the seventh amendment say? - ✔✔guarantees the right to a jury by trial
✔✔what does the tenth amendment say? - ✔✔the powers neither delegated to the
federal government nor denied to the states are reserved for the states
✔✔what does the due process clause say? - ✔✔guarantee that no person shall be
deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law
✔✔what does the privileges and immunities clause say? - ✔✔prevents a state from
treating citizens of other states in a discriminatory manner
✔✔what does the equal protection clause say? - ✔✔provides that no state shall deny to
any person within its jurisdiction "the equal protection of the laws"
