Florida Civic Literacy Practice Exam

Which United States Supreme Court case focused on executive privilege?

1. U.S. v. Bush

2. U.S. v. Nixon

3. U.S. v. Clinton

4. U.S. v. Obama

The correct answer is: U.S. v. Nixon

The case that focused on executive privilege is U.S. v. Nixon. This landmark Supreme Court decision in 1974 addressed the scope of presidential power, particularly concerning the confidentiality of communications between the President and advisors. It emerged during the Watergate scandal when President Nixon was subpoenaed to release tapes of conversations related to the investigation. Nixon asserted that he had an absolute right to withhold information under the doctrine of executive privilege, claiming that this was necessary to protect the rights of the presidency. However, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that while the President does have a right to withhold information in certain situations, this privilege is not absolute and must be balanced against the need for evidence in a criminal trial. The Court determined that the tapes were relevant to the investigation and that the need for evidence outweighed the claim of privilege, leading to Nixon's eventual resignation. This case significantly shaped the understanding of executive privilege and the limits on presidential power in relation to the judiciary. It established a critical precedent regarding the balance of power among the branches of government.