Chapter 13: The Courts Flashcards

1
Q

Literally a “friend of the court” and used for a brief filed by someone who is interested in but not party to a case

A

Amicus curiae

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2
Q

A court that reviews cases already decided by a lower or trial court and that may change the lower court’s decision

A

Appellate court

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3
Q

The power of a court to hear a case on appeal from a lower court and possibly change the lower court’s decision

A

Appellate jurisdiction

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4
Q

A member of the Supreme Court who is not the chief justice

A

Associate justice

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5
Q

A written legal argument presented to a court by one of the parties in a case

A

Brief

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6
Q

The highest-ranking justice on the Supreme Court

A

Chief justice

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7
Q

The appeals (appellate) courts of the federal court system that review decisions of the lower (district) courts; also called courts of appeals

A

Circuit courts

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8
Q

A non-criminal law defining private rights and remedies

A

Civil law

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9
Q

The pattern of law developed by judges through case decisions largely based on precedent

A

Common law

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10
Q

An opinion written by a justice who agrees with the Court’s majority opinion but has different reasons for doing so

A

Concurring opinion

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11
Q

Closed meeting of the justices to discuss cases on the docket and take an initial vote

A

Conference

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12
Q

The appellate courts of the federal court system that review decisions of the lower (district) courts; also called circuit courts

A

Courts of appeals

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13
Q

A law that prohibits actions that could harm or endanger others, and establishes punishment for those actions

A

Criminal law

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14
Q

An opinion written by a justice who disagrees with the majority opinion of the Court

A

Dissenting opinion

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15
Q

The trial courts of the federal court system where cases are tried, evidence is presented, and witness testimony is heard

A

District courts

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16
Q

The list of cases pending on a court’s calendar

A

Docket

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17
Q

The division of the courts into two separate systems, one federal and one state, with each of the fifty states having its own courts

A

Dual court system

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18
Q

A judicial philosophy in which a justice is more likely to overturn decisions or rule actions by the other branches unconstitutional, especially in an attempt to broaden individual rights and liberties

A

Judicial activism

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19
Q

A judicial philosophy in which a justice is more likely to let stand the decisions or actions of the other branches of government

A

Judicial restraint

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20
Q

The power of the courts to review actions taken by the other branches of government and the states and to rule on whether those actions are constitutional

A

Judicial review

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21
Q

An opinion of the Court with which more than half the nine justices agree

A

Majority opinion

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22
Q

The 1803 Supreme Court case that established the courts’ power of judicial review and the first time the Supreme Court ruled an act of Congress to be unconstitutional

A

Marbury v. Madison

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23
Q

Words spoken before the Supreme Court (usually by lawyers) explaining the legal reasons behind their position in a case and why it should prevail

A

Oral argument

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24
Q

The power of a court to hear a case for the first time

A

Original jurisdiction

25
The principles or guidelines established by courts in earlier cases that frame the ongoing operation of the courts, steering the direction of the entire system
Precedent
26
A Supreme Court custom in which a case will be heard when four justices decide to do so
Rule of Four
27
An unwritten custom by which the president consults the senators in the state before nominating a candidate for a federal vacancy there, particularly for court positions
Senatorial courtesy
28
The lawyer who represents the federal government and argues some cases before the Supreme Court
Solicitor general
29
The principle by which courts rely on past decisions and their precedents when making decisions in new cases
Stare decisis
30
The level of court in which a case starts or is first tried
Trial court
31
An order of the Supreme Court calling up the records of the lower court so a case may be reviewed; sometimes abbreviated cert.
Writ of certiorari
32
# CC Courts do which of the following?
Settle disputes, interpret the law, create expectations for future actions
33
# CC The federal court system is hierarchical.
True
34
# CC _________ is the ability to look at laws passed by Congress, state legislatures, and executive actions.
Judicial review
35
# CC Appellate courts do not do which of the following
Hear new facts on a case
36
# CC The ________ is the name of the person accused of committing a crime.
Defendant
37
# CC There are _____ US district courts, with approximate ____ judges.
94, 640
38
# CC Almost all ________ start in state courts.
Criminal cases
39
# CC Which of the followings types of cases do the federal courts have original jurisdiction?
Cases involving the Constitution
40
# CC ________ means that in order to bring a case, the parties must have a substantial stake in the outcome.
Standing
41
# CC In order to get to SCOTUS, you have to have exhausted your appeals at all of levels of the state and/or federal system.
False
42
# CC What is the name of a formal request that SCOTUS hear your case?
Writ of certiorari
43
# CC The Supreme Court hears around ____ cases per year.
80
44
# CC A(s) _____ contains difference legal, economic, or historical arguments.
Amicus curiae
45
# CC A single majority opinion is issued when
Justices have a very strong unified opinion on the case.
46
# CC ___________ is the power to review the decisions made by lower courts of law.
Appellate jurisdiction
47
# CC Both state and federal appellate courts engage in some level of judicial review.
True
48
# CC Judicial review involves which of the following
Examining the validity of laws
49
# CC The Supreme Court can review ___________, including _________.
Presidential actions, executive privilege
50
# CC Marbury v Madison helped to establish which of the following
Judicial review
51
# CC What is judicial activism?
The idea that the Court should act as a instrument of policy
52
# CC _________ asserts that new laws should be interpreted as the Constitution would.
Originalism
53
# CC Judges are never influenced by their political ideology.
False
54
# CC Precedent can constrain the decisions that Judges are able to make.
True
55
# CC What percentage of Latino Spanish speakers said they had been criticized for speaking Spanish in public?
23
56
# A&D Hispanics with darker skin were more likely than those with lighter skin to say they experienced discrimination or were treated unfairly by someone who is not Hispanic.
True
57
# A&D Hispanics with darker skin were more likely than those with lighter skin to say they experienced discrimination or were treated unfairly by someone who is not Hispanic.
True
58
# A&D What percentage of Hispanics say discrimination based on race or skin color is a very big problem in the U.S.?
48