AP Government Chapter 6 Unit 2 Test

Question 1

Why is the Judicial Branch the least powerful of the three branches?

Answer 1

They can only interpret laws, they don’t have the power of enforcement and they can’t create legislation.

Question 2

Which judicial power does Mar bury v Madison establish?

Answer 2

Judicial Review

Question 3

What is original jurisdiction?

Answer 3

A Court’s power to hear cases for the first time.

Question 4

What is appellate jurisdiction?

Answer 4

The Court has the power to review the decisions of lower courts

Question 5

What is the Rule of Four?

Answer 5

permits four of the nine justices to grant a writ of certiorari. It has the specific purpose to prevent a majority of the Court’s members from controlling their docket.

Question 6

The Supreme Court hears approximately ________ cases per year with over 90% of them coming from ________ jurisdiction.

Answer 6

100-150, Appellate

Question 7

Private disputes between parties or organizations are referred to as this type of a case…

Answer 7

Civil cases.
Examples: Divorce, custody

Question 8

Cases involving an action that is considered more harmful or serious to society as a whole are called this type of case…

Answer 8

Criminal

Question 9

Courts rely on this from the past to guide current judgments…

Answer 9

Power of precedent

Question 10

List the three court from most powerful, to least.

Answer 10

Supreme Court, District Court of Appeals, District Courts

Question 11

What is judicial activism and what is the criticism of the philosophy?

Answer 11

Judges abandon their responsibility to interpret the Constitution and instead decide cases to advance their preferred policies. People argue that courts are supposed to interpret and remain impartial.

Question 12

What is strict constructional ism?

Answer 12

one who favors a strict construction of the Constitution of the United States compare loose constructionist.

Question 13

What is judicial restraint?

Answer 13

A judge not injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings and rulings.

Question 14

What was the Warren Court?

Answer 14

Dwight D Eisenhower elected Warren, expecting him to have conservative views. Instead, Warren’s decisions were more liberal and people accused him of expressing judicial activism.

Question 15

Who was Burger?

Answer 15

Chief Justice nominated by Nixon, hoping to prevent the Warren court incident. Burger also ended up showing judicial activism.

Question 16

A Latin synonym for the concept of precedent is…

Answer 16

Stare Decicis

Question 17

When the Supreme Court invokes the Rule of Four and asks for a case to be brought to it under its appellate jurisdiction it is called…

Answer 17

Writ of Certiorari

Question 18

What is an Ammicus Curae Brief?

Answer 18

Briefs written by individuals or groups who are not directly involved in a legal case, but have expertise or insight to offer a court to assist in making its decision.

Question 19

What is the Majority Opinion?

Answer 19

The majority of justices of judges hearing the case agree with each other. Usually deciding to agree with the decision reached in the appellate case.

Question 20

What is a Concurring Opinion?

Answer 20

Majority support the result reached in the case, but for different reasons.

Question 21

What is a Dissenting Opinion?

Answer 21

an opinion written by an appellate judge or Supreme Court Justice who disagrees with the majority opinion in a given case.

Question 22

What must Supreme Court justice workers do in the confirmation process?

Answer 22

They must first pass a litmus test, then the presidential nomination, then pass the Senate Judiciary Committee, then finally win a full Senate confirmation vote.

Question 23

When the president and the senate are of the same party, older Supreme Court Justices are pushed to consider this action…

Answer 23

Retirement.

Question 24

What type of vote is needed to confirm a Supreme Court Justice?

Answer 24

Majority vote.

Question 25

The thorough examination of a potential judicial nominee’s background to avoid embarrassment before taking the nominee public is called…

Answer 25

Litmus test/ vetting.

Question 26

The senators approving the nominees for judges in their home states before being appointed by the President is called…

Answer 26

Senatorial courtessy.

Question 27

This has only happened to 8 judges but never to a US president. It is a check of both branches that the legislative branch holds.

Answer 27

Removal from office.

Question 28

What does a Justice need in order to get a confirmation letter?

Answer 28

They need 50 Senators and the Vice President or 51 Senators.

Question 29

It is the Supreme Court’s job to interpret the laws. What could Congress do if it was furious with a Supreme Court ruling, to limit the High Courts Power?

Answer 29

Propose an amendment.

Question 30

What is the Solicitor General?

Answer 30

Their job is to represent the United States Government before the Supreme Court. They are part of the Executive branch and they are the #3 position in the Attorney General’s office.

Question 31

The powers of the judicial branch are enumerated in which article of the Constitution?

Answer 31

Article 3

Question 32

This is the only court specifically defined in Article 3…

Answer 32

The Supreme Court.

Question 33

Who is the former Supreme Court nomination who did not receive 50 senatorial confirmation votes because they were too honest?

Answer 33

Robert Bork.

Question 34

What two SC Justices had to navigate accusations of sexual harassment during their confirmation process?

Answer 34

Justice Cavanon, Justice Thomas.

Question 35

This SC nominee never has a senate confirmation hearing and is our current attorney general…

Answer 35

Garland.