Am Gov Unit 9

Question 1

The power to declare congressional and presidential acts invalid because they violate the Constitution.

Answer 1

Judicial review

Question 2

Court cases involving a crime or violation of public order.

Answer 2

Criminal cases

Question 3

Court cases that involve a private dispute arising from such matters as accidents, contractual obligations, and divorce.

Answer 3

Civil cases

Question 4

A defendant’s admission of guilt in exchange for a less severe punishment.

Answer 4

Plea-bargain

Question 5

Legal precedents derived from previous judicial decisions.

Answer 5

Common/judge-made law

Question 6

Courts within the lowest tier of the three-tiered federal court system where litigation begins.

Answer 6

U.S. district courts

Question 7

Courts within the second tier of the three-tiered federal court system, to which decisions of the district courts and federal agencies may be appealed for review.

Answer 7

U.S. court of appeals

Question 8

Area where each appeals court hears cases.

Answer 8

Circuit

Question 9

Written arguments given to the judges by the court of appeals.

Answer 9

Briefs

Question 10

A judicial ruling that serves as the basis for the ruling in a subsequent case.

Answer 10

Precedent

Question 11

Literally, “let the decision stand;” decision making according to the precedent.

Answer 11

Stare decisis

Question 12

The authority of a court to hear a case before any other court does.

Answer 12

Original jurisdiction

Question 13

The authority of a court to hear cases that have been tried, decided, or reexamined in other courts.

Answer 13

Appellate jurisdiction

Question 14

A court’s agenda.

Answer 14

Docket

Question 15

A process in which a litigant seeking review asks the Court to become informed of the lower-court preceding.

Answer 15

Certiorari

Question 16

An unwritten rule that requires at least four justices to agree that a case warrants consideration before it is reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Answer 16

Rule of four

Question 17

The third highest official of the U.S. Department of Justice who represents the national government before the Supreme Court.

Answer 17

Solicitor general

Question 18

A brief filed (with the permission of the court) by an individual or group that is not a party to a legal action but has an interest in it.

Answer 18

Amicus curiae brief

Question 19

The judicial decision in a court case.

Answer 19

Judgment

Question 20

The heart of a judicial opinion in which its logical content is separated from facts, rhetoric, and procedure.

Answer 20

Argument

Question 21

The agreement of a judge with the Supreme Court’s majority decision, for a reason other than the majority reason.

Answer 21

Concurrence

Question 22

The disagreement of a judge with a majority decision.

Answer 22

Dissent

Question 23

A norm under which a nomination must be acceptable to the home state senator from the president’s party.

Answer 23

Senatorial courtesy

Question 24

A procedure by which similarly situated litigants may be heard in a single lawsuit.

Answer 24

Class action