WGU D017 SCHOOL LAW EXAM | EXAM READY - VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
School law: WGU D017
1. Q: What are the four primary sources of law in the United
States?
ANSWER Constitutional law, statutory law,
administrative/regulatory law, and case law (common law).
2. Q: What is the Supremacy Clause?
ANSWER Article VI of the U.S. Constitution establishing that
federal law is the "supreme Law of the Land," overriding
conflicting state laws.
3. Q: What is the 10th Amendment and how does it relate to
education?
ANSWER It reserves powers not delegated to the federal
government to the states. Because education is not mentioned
in the Constitution, it is a state responsibility.
4. Q: What is the difference between a criminal case and a civil
case?
ANSWER Criminal cases involve the government prosecuting
a person for violating a statute (punishment is jail/fines). Civil
,cases involve disputes between private parties (remedy is
monetary damages or injunctions).
5. Q: What is "stare decisis"?
ANSWER The legal doctrine of precedent, meaning courts
rely on prior judicial decisions to rule on current cases with
similar facts.
6. Q: What is statutory law?
ANSWER Written laws passed by legislative bodies (e.g.,
Congress or a state legislature).
7. Q: What is administrative law?
ANSWER Rules, regulations, and orders created by executive
agencies (e.g., the Department of Education or state boards of
education) to enforce statutes.
8. Q: What is a "writ of certiorari"?
ANSWER An order by a higher court (like the U.S. Supreme
Court) to review the decision of a lower court.
9. Q: How many justices sit on the U.S. Supreme Court?
ANSWER Nine (one Chief Justice and eight Associate
Justices).
10. Q: What is "jurisdiction"?
, ANSWER The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a
specific type of case.
11. Q: What is the difference between original and appellate
jurisdiction?
ANSWER Original jurisdiction is the power to hear a case first
(e.g., Supreme Court hearing disputes between states).
Appellate jurisdiction is the power to review decisions of
lower courts.
12. Q: What is a "plaintiff"?
ANSWER The party who initiates a lawsuit.
13. Q: What is a "defendant"?
ANSWER The party being sued or accused in a lawsuit.
14. Q: What is a "respondent"?
ANSWER The party against whom a petition (especially for
writ of certiorari) is filed, typically the winner in the lower
court.
15. Q: What is a "petitioner"?
ANSWER The party who appeals a lower court decision to a
higher court.
16. Q: What does "procedural due process" mean?
, ANSWER The fairness of the methods used to deprive a
person of life, liberty, or property (e.g., right to a hearing,
notice).
17. Q: What does "substantive due process" mean?
ANSWER The fairness of the laws themselves, protecting
fundamental rights from government interference, regardless
of the procedures used.
18. Q: What is the "Equal Protection Clause"?
ANSWER The 14th Amendment clause requiring states to
provide equal protection of the laws to all citizens within their
jurisdiction.
19. Q: What are the three levels of scrutiny used in Equal
Protection cases?
ANSWER Strict scrutiny (race, fundamental rights),
intermediate scrutiny (gender), and rational basis (almost
everything else).
20. Q: When is "strict scrutiny" applied?
ANSWER When a law or action involves a "suspect
classification" (like race) or infringes on a fundamental right.
The government must prove the law is "narrowly tailored" to
achieve a "compelling government interest."
21. Q: When is "intermediate scrutiny" applied?
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
School law: WGU D017
1. Q: What are the four primary sources of law in the United
States?
ANSWER Constitutional law, statutory law,
administrative/regulatory law, and case law (common law).
2. Q: What is the Supremacy Clause?
ANSWER Article VI of the U.S. Constitution establishing that
federal law is the "supreme Law of the Land," overriding
conflicting state laws.
3. Q: What is the 10th Amendment and how does it relate to
education?
ANSWER It reserves powers not delegated to the federal
government to the states. Because education is not mentioned
in the Constitution, it is a state responsibility.
4. Q: What is the difference between a criminal case and a civil
case?
ANSWER Criminal cases involve the government prosecuting
a person for violating a statute (punishment is jail/fines). Civil
,cases involve disputes between private parties (remedy is
monetary damages or injunctions).
5. Q: What is "stare decisis"?
ANSWER The legal doctrine of precedent, meaning courts
rely on prior judicial decisions to rule on current cases with
similar facts.
6. Q: What is statutory law?
ANSWER Written laws passed by legislative bodies (e.g.,
Congress or a state legislature).
7. Q: What is administrative law?
ANSWER Rules, regulations, and orders created by executive
agencies (e.g., the Department of Education or state boards of
education) to enforce statutes.
8. Q: What is a "writ of certiorari"?
ANSWER An order by a higher court (like the U.S. Supreme
Court) to review the decision of a lower court.
9. Q: How many justices sit on the U.S. Supreme Court?
ANSWER Nine (one Chief Justice and eight Associate
Justices).
10. Q: What is "jurisdiction"?
, ANSWER The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a
specific type of case.
11. Q: What is the difference between original and appellate
jurisdiction?
ANSWER Original jurisdiction is the power to hear a case first
(e.g., Supreme Court hearing disputes between states).
Appellate jurisdiction is the power to review decisions of
lower courts.
12. Q: What is a "plaintiff"?
ANSWER The party who initiates a lawsuit.
13. Q: What is a "defendant"?
ANSWER The party being sued or accused in a lawsuit.
14. Q: What is a "respondent"?
ANSWER The party against whom a petition (especially for
writ of certiorari) is filed, typically the winner in the lower
court.
15. Q: What is a "petitioner"?
ANSWER The party who appeals a lower court decision to a
higher court.
16. Q: What does "procedural due process" mean?
, ANSWER The fairness of the methods used to deprive a
person of life, liberty, or property (e.g., right to a hearing,
notice).
17. Q: What does "substantive due process" mean?
ANSWER The fairness of the laws themselves, protecting
fundamental rights from government interference, regardless
of the procedures used.
18. Q: What is the "Equal Protection Clause"?
ANSWER The 14th Amendment clause requiring states to
provide equal protection of the laws to all citizens within their
jurisdiction.
19. Q: What are the three levels of scrutiny used in Equal
Protection cases?
ANSWER Strict scrutiny (race, fundamental rights),
intermediate scrutiny (gender), and rational basis (almost
everything else).
20. Q: When is "strict scrutiny" applied?
ANSWER When a law or action involves a "suspect
classification" (like race) or infringes on a fundamental right.
The government must prove the law is "narrowly tailored" to
achieve a "compelling government interest."
21. Q: When is "intermediate scrutiny" applied?
