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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. Under the Betts rule, who is required to have an attorney?

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

3. Lawyers appearing before the Supreme Court should present facts as opposed to ________________.

4. Overall, the courts deal with ____________ while the legislature deals with abstraction in large numbers.

5. What does Abe Fortas think would be the best way for the Justices to understand Gideon's case?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is the impact of the Gideon ruling regarding getting support for attorneys who are appointed to criminal cases?

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

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

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

6. What does Fortas believe would be the surest way to get assenting opinions from the Justices in Gideon's case?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When reading Gideon's file, Abe Fortas is interested to know whether or not Gideon is a black man. Why would this have been an important fact? What was happening in the South in the 1960s that would have made Gideon's race a critical factor to his case?

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

The struggle for justice takes on an almost human persona in this story. What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

(see the answer keys)

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