In US Constitutional Law, the level of scrutiny applied by courts when reviewing laws depends on the right being infringed or the classification being made. Rational Basis Review is the lowest level, applied to laws that don't involve suspect classifications or fundamental rights; the law must be rationally related to a legitimate government interest. Intermediate Scrutiny is used for quasi-suspect classifications like gender; the law must be substantially related to an important government interest. Strict Scrutiny is the highest level, used when fundamental rights or suspect classifications like race are involved; the law must be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling government interest.
Understanding these standards is crucial for analyzing the constitutionality of laws and government actions. This worksheet provides practical exercises to solidify your knowledge.
Match each term with its correct definition:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Rational Basis Review | A. Applies to quasi-suspect classifications; law must be substantially related to an important government interest. |
| 2. Intermediate Scrutiny | B. Applies to laws involving fundamental rights or suspect classifications; law must be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling government interest. |
| 3. Strict Scrutiny | C. A characteristic used as a basis for discrimination, like race or national origin. |
| 4. Suspect Classification | D. Applies to laws that don't involve suspect classifications or fundamental rights; law must be rationally related to a legitimate government interest. |
| 5. Compelling Government Interest | E. An interest of the government that is of the highest order. |
Answers: 1-D, 2-A, 3-B, 4-C, 5-E
Complete the following paragraph using the words provided below:
When a law discriminates based on race, courts apply __________ __________. This means the government must prove it has a __________ __________ __________ for the law, and the law is __________ __________ to achieve that interest. If the government cannot meet this high standard, the law will be struck down as unconstitutional.
Words: strict scrutiny, compelling government interest, narrowly tailored
Consider a state law that requires all police officers to have a minimum height requirement. Under what level of scrutiny would this law likely be reviewed, and why?
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