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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. For how long are Supreme Court Justices on the bench?

2. In the Betts vs. Brady case in 1942, in what state did Smith Betts live?

3. One of the Justices asks Jacob if he believes all the prisoners currently jailed without benefit of an attorney are __________________.

4. In most cases the majority of the work falls on _________________.

5. Who does George Mantz say is looking out for defendants with attorneys?

Short Essay Questions

1. What change on the Supreme Court bench seems fortunate for Gideon's case?

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

3. What embarrassing statement does Jacob make in dialogue regarding Gideon representing someone else in court?

4. Compare and contrast the legal resources for Jacob representing states' rights and Fortas representing just one man.

5. What major points stem from revising the method of assigning attorneys who are not compensated?

6. What is Justice Black's statement about Betts when he offers the Supreme Court opinion?

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

8. What is the author's reply to those who may question whether a case like Gideon's should be managed through legislation or allowed to proceed to the Supreme Court?

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

10. What could be the reason that the Supreme Court Justices selected Fortas to represent Gideon?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the irony of Gideon's not being able to ever hold a job very long in his life yet having the tenacity to hand write pages and pages of his petition to the Supreme Court. What gave Gideon his inspiration to keep pushing forward? How would Gideon's life have been different if he had applied this same tenacity to making a decent living and caring for his family? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the overall settings for the story. What is important about each setting as it is revealed? What is the time period of the story? How important is the time period to the attitudes and issues of the people?

Essay Topic 3

Gideon's story unfolds in the early 1960s, a time when the ravages of World War II are not a very distant memory and change is happening in almost every aspect of American life. What effect did the time period in which Gideon lived help his case? Does Gideon understand his place in history now that he has changed court procedures in America? Explain.

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