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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which organization submits a brief in support of Gideon's petition?

2. What is a legal document submitted to the Supreme Court from anyone who may have something helpful to add to a case?

3. What do some attorneys consider oral arguments to be?

4. What is the formal name of Gideon's Supreme Court case?

5. The Justice makes the point that all the prisoners currently jailed without counsel were entitled to an attorney ________________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What flaw does Fortas present in determining decisions on a case-by-case basis?

2. What does John Hart Ely discover about Florida cases while doing research for Gideon's Supreme Court case?

3. What is the premise of the brief written by George D. Mentz of the Alabama Attorney General's office which supports Jacob's case?

4. How could Gideon vs. Wainwright overthrow the Betts vs. Brady decision that was enacted just 20 years prior?

5. How do Fortas and Jacob differ in their perceptions of Supreme Court procedure?

6. What is State Judge Walter V. Schaefer's reasoning on why the right to an attorney is greater than all other rights?

7. What form of support does Jacob get to help him defend the state position in the trial?

8. What is Jacob's opinion on the retroactive element of any law which may evolve from Gideon's Supreme Court case?

9. What is the premise of the Betts vs. Brady case in 1942?

10. Who is Bruce Robert Jacob and what is his role in Gideon's Supreme Court trial?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a brief character study of W. Fred Turner. What does he look like? What are his positive personality traits? What are some of his negative characteristics? What are his hopes and fears? What is his primary motivation?

Essay Topic 2

GIDEON'S TRUMPET is a story about succeeding against heavy odds. Explain how fortunate Gideon is to have been alive in 1962 instead of 1942. What ruling had been in place in Florida that would have kept Gideon in prison for his full sentence? Is Gideon even aware of his good fortune? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the significance of the book's title. What did the author mean by calling the book GIDEON'S TRUMPET when Gideon is clearly not a musician? Expand your thinking and provide the best answer you can think of.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,061 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample