Chapter 12

Question 1

How many of the certiorari make it to the discuss list?

Answer 1

1/3

Question 2

How many of the justices need to agree to take up a case?

Answer 2

Rule of four: 4 (they can decide to rule quickly on the case or ask for more information from the opposing lawyers after they take up a case)

Question 3

A brief, unsigned statement of the court’s decision

Answer 3

Per Curiam opinion

Question 4

A written statement setting forth the legal arguments, relevant facts, and precedents supporting one side of the case

Answer 4

Brief

Question 5

What is it calls when a party not directly involved in the case submits a written brief?

Answer 5

Amicus curiae (friend of the court)

Question 6

How long is each side allowed to present their oral argument?

Answer 6

30 minutes and when the red light flashes on their podium they must stop speaking immediately. Justices often interrupt the presenter to ask questions or challenge a statement but the right light is only to signify that their time is up

Question 7

What does the white light on the lectern mean?

Answer 7

That the lawyer has 5 minutes left to speak about their case (they get 30)

Question 8

What does a written opinion state?

Answer 8

The facts of the case and what the court ruling is. If also explains its reasoning for the decision.

Question 9

What is a unanimous opinion?

Answer 9

All justices vote the same way (this happens for about 1/3 of all their decisions)

Question 10

What is the opinion of the Justices on the losing side called?

Answer 10

The dissenting opinion

Question 11

What is it called when a judge agrees but for different reasons?

Answer 11

A concurring opinion

Question 12

The Supreme Court has the power to examine the laws and actions of local, state, and national government and to cancel them if they violate the constitution

Answer 12

This is called judicial review

Question 13

Once the court rules on a case it’s decision is precedent

Answer 13

Stare decisis

Question 14

What is precedent?

Answer 14

When the court rules on a case it’s decision serves as a model to base other decisions on in similar cases

Question 15

What is noncompliance?

Answer 15

When someone decides to ignore a Supreme Court decision

Question 16

How do the justices live?

Answer 16

Thy work most of the time in D.C. and usually communicate with other justices through writing. 90% of the time they function as small independent law firms and don’t usually see each other

Question 17

When Plessy attempted to sit in a whites only section of the train and refused to move ________________

Answer 17

The Supreme Court took it up and ruled the 14th Amendment permitted a state to require separate facilities for blacks as long as those facilities were equal to those of whites

Question 18

What case overturned Plessy vs Ferguson and said that the separate but equal crap was over?

Answer 18

Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka

Question 19

Franklin D Roosevelt tried to add 6 new justices to the court to change its direction and what happened?

Answer 19

He couldn’t

Question 20

The number of cases ok the Supreme Court has gone _____ over time and then the signed opinions has _____

Answer 20

Up and decline. The Supreme Court took the most cases in 2000 (8,965)