Landmark Supreme Court Cases Overview

Price Waterhouse vs Hopkins (1989)

• Landmark U.S. Supreme Court case addressing gender discrimination at work.
• Ann Hopkins, a senior manager at Price Waterhouse, was denied partnership.
• Colleagues criticized her for being "too aggressive" and advised her to act more feminine.
• Hopkins sued, alleging gender stereotyping violation of Title VII.
• The case established precedent for employment discrimination law.

McClelesky vs Kemp (1987)

• Pivotal Supreme Court case on race and the death penalty.
• Warren McCleskey, African American, was sentenced to death.
• He argued racial bias influenced the decision by referencing the Baldus Study.
• The Baldus Study showed racial disparities in death penalty sentencing in Georgia.
• Critics argue the decision failed to address systemic racial bias.

Hugo Munsterberg

• Studied eyewitness testimony, highlighting human memory's fallibility.
• Emphasized psychological factors influencing criminal behavior.
• Advocated integrating psychology into legal proceedings.

Criminal Profiling

• Develops a description of the perpetrator (physical, social, psychological) to aid law enforcement.

Historical Profiling

• Analyzes past criminals to identify similar characteristics for future crimes.

Organized Serial Killer

• Planned crimes; targets known victims.
• Has self-control; leaves few clues, often with a weapon.
• May mutilate or display sexual interests.
• Example: Ted Bundy.

Disorganized Serial Killer

• Lack of planning, victims are often chance encounters.
• Messy crime scenes; weapons may be left at the scene.
• Minimal attempt to hide evidence.
• Example: Herbert Mullin

Modus Operandi (MO)

• The way a criminal operates during a crime; a learned behavior.

Signature

• What a criminal must do to meet emotional needs or express unique desires.

NASH

• Acronym for Natural, Accidental, Suicide, Homicide (used to classify deaths).

Psychological Autopsy

• Investigative method for determining unexplained deaths (classifying them according to NASH).

Burdens of Proof

• Beyond a reasonable doubt
• Clear and convincing evidence
• Preponderance of the evidence
• Probable cause
• Reasonable suspicion

Mitigating Factors

• Circumstances lessening the severity of a crime or defendant's culpability.

Aggravating Factors

• Circumstances increasing the severity of a crime or defendant's culpability.

Plaintiff v. Respondent (Civil)

• Plaintiff: Person initiating the lawsuit, claiming wrongdoing.
• Respondent: Person against whom the lawsuit is brought, defending the case.

USS Iowa

• Tragic explosion on the USS Iowa in 1989, resulting in many casualties.
• Initial investigation suggested sabotage as a cause.

Characteristics of an abuser

• Often exhibit behaviors that control, dominate, or manipulate victims. (Various circumstances and contexts of abuse are included, though varying.)

Assessor

• Conducts psychological evaluations in legal cases, informs legal decisions.

Educator

• Provides training and education about psychology to legal professionals and juries.

Researcher

• Conducts research at the intersection of psychology and law.

Therapist

• Provides psychological treatment for individuals within the legal system.

Advocate

• Promotes the rights and well-being of vulnerable individuals in legal contexts.

Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS)

• Developed by Lenore Walker, Ph.D.
• Identifies signs and symptoms of abuse through research of abused women.
• Has been used in trials and involves elements of learned helplessness, low self-esteem, etc.
• Often critiqued for lack of scientific rigor.

Signs and Symptoms of Abuse

• Learned helplessness, low self-esteem, impaired functioning, diminished alternatives, etc.
• Describes possible learned helplessness, low self-esteem, and difficulties in the situations.
• Details phases of the cycle of violence, including tension building, acute battering, and the contrite phase.

Cycle of Violence

• Sequence of events (honeymoon, tension building, violence).

Cycle of Abuse

• Includes tension-building, acute battering, remorse/contrite phases.

Criticisms of Battered Woman Syndrome

• Lack of scientific rigor, often critiqued for lack of rigor, and for perpetuating potential bias.

Pleas After Spousal Murder

• Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI)
• Not Guilty by Reason of Temporary Insanity (NGR-TI)
• Self-Defense

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) - Child Custody

• Methods for resolving disputes outside of court, emphasizing child best interests.
• Includes negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and other methods.

Arbitration (ADR)

• Neutral arbitrator hears arguments from parents and makes a binding decision on custody.

Mediation (ADR)

• Neutral mediator guides parents in negotiating a custody agreement.

Negotiation (ADR)

• Parents discuss and attempt to find a mutually agreeable custody solution.

Process and Control (this needs more info)

• (Needs more information to create study notes.)*

Child Custody

• Role of mediators, therapists, evaluators, and expert witnesses.
• Explains the roles of mediators, therapists, evaluators, and experts.

Tender Years Doctrine

• Historically favored mothers in custody cases for young children, now less commonly used.

Best Interest of the Child Doctrine

• Prioritizes the child's well-being in custody decisions.

System vs. Estimator Variables (Eyewitness Testimony)

• Differentiates between controlled and uncontrollable factors influencing eyewitness reliability.

Eyewitness Testimony

• Strengths like providing direct evidence and emotional impact.
• Weaknesses such as memory errors, stress effects, and cross-race identification issues.
• Discussion of environmental/situational factors and time delays affecting reliability.

Impact of eyewitness testimony on juries

• Significant impact - often pivotal in verdicts.

Improper Police Procedures

• Procedures that compromise eyewitness accuracy and testimony.

Types of Confessions

• True, Voluntary false, coerced compliant, coerced internalized confessions.

Paul Ingram Case

• Suggestibility case; daughter's accusation of sexual abuse.

Brewer Case

• Failure to secure Miranda rights (a legal rights) related to a case of Christian burial and other details.

Standards of Proof

• Preponderance of evidence, clear and convincing evidence, beyond reasonable doubt (relevant standards for different types of cases).

Trial Consultants

• Experts who assist attorneys in trial preparation.

Death-Qualified Jurors

• Jurors willing to consider the death penalty.

Bifurcated Trial

• Separates guilt and penalty phases in trials, ensuring fairness.

Exculpatory Evidence

• Evidence disproving or questioning defendant's guilt.

Explore the significant Supreme Court cases of Price Waterhouse vs Hopkins and McCleskey vs Kemp. These cases address gender discrimination and racial bias within the legal system, shaping employment discrimination law and the death penalty. Dive into the key issues and legal precedents established through these historic rulings.