Q1. The State of Freedom is located in the United States and adheres to the US Constitution. 

A question arises b/c a group of high school students have decided to gather during their lunch hour every day and voluntarily pray out loud on school property for 10 minutes before eating lunch. They pray for their families, classmates and teachers. No teacher or school administrator authorized this activity.  

The school board issued a policy against prayer on school property citing the wall of separation between church and state and suspended these students. Their lawyers claimed a first amendment right, but cd not exactly define their position. 

You are the Judge assigned to write a judicial opinion to decide what rights, if any, the students have, whether the school Bd acted constitutionally, and issue a ruling on the suspension, the praying, and instructing the school Bd on what it should do. 

Support your decision with actual cases you research on this issue.  

Q2. John lives in a neighborhood where crime is increasing – car thefts, convenience store robberies, and home burglaries. He applied for a permit to carry a handgun for defensive purposes, but the city of Safety where he resides denied his permit b/c he failed to demonstrate a special need since he was not the victim of a crime even tho he did have safety training in a weapons class he took at a local college. 

He appeals to your court saying a lawyer told him the city violated his Constitutional rights. The city urges there are too many guns now and in Safety, they want everyone safe.  

Write your opinion discussing the Constitution, relevant case law, and deciding the case fairly in accordance with the law. 

Q3. Two police officers on patrol in a squad car noticed a group of about 4 or 5 males gathered around a fire in a dumpster in front of a liquor store just before 7 PM when the law said the store must close. There had been a huge sale that day and loads of people were making purchases all day long. An informant had advised the station that something might be going down tonight but had no other information. 

The uniformed officers approached the males demanded to see their identification and patted them down – locating a Bowie knife, 2 handguns, a small derringer and a semiautomatic w/ a 9 bullet clip. All owners claimed the weapons were properly registered but none had a concealed carry permit. All were arrested. 

In Court, their defense counsel cited the Constitution and sd the police violated their rights but didnt remember the exact rights or quote any precedent. 

You are now called to resolve this case. Can police take weapons from ordinary citizens who have registered them? Write a strong opinion using citations to resolve the actions of police and rights of citizens.