Chapter 15

Question 1

The great majority of America’s judicial business is transacted in

Answer 1

State courts of original jurisdiction

Question 2

One of the differences between criminal law and civil law is that in civil law

Answer 2

There is no charge that a law has been violated

Question 3

Not everyone can challenge a law. Litigants must have what is called ____, meaning that they must have a serious personal stake in the case, typically determined by whether or not they have sustained or are in danger of an injury.

Answer 3

Standing to sue

Question 4

The constitution specifically provided that there would be a Supreme Court

Answer 4

but left it to the discretion of Congress to establish lower federal courts of general jurisdiction

Question 5

Courts of original jurisdiction are

Answer 5

trial courts

Question 6

An important player at the district court level in each district is the ____, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. He or she serves at the discretion of the president.

Answer 6

United States Attorney

Question 7

Which of the following statements about the selection of Supreme Court justices is False?

Answer 7

Senators play a greater role in the recruitment of Supreme Court justices than in the selection of lower court judges.

Question 8

Senators have dominated the selection of judges for the federal district courts through

Answer 8

The custom of senatorial courtesy

Question 9

The first woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court was

Answer 9

Sandra Day O’Connor

Question 10

The first African-American to serve on the Supreme Court, who had been the NAACP’s lead attorney in Brown v. Board of Education, was

Answer 10

Thurgood Marshall

Question 11

A writ of certiorari

Answer 11

is used by the Supreme Court to call up a case

Question 12

The ____ is a presidential appointee who is in charge of the appellate court litigation of the federal government, works out of the Department of Justice, and can have an important influence on the Supreme Court

Answer 12

Solicitor General

Question 13

Those who are interested in the outcome of a case, but are not formal litigants, sometimes submit ___ briefs, raising points of view and presenting information that they hope will influence the Supreme Court’s decision

Answer 13

amicus curiae

Question 14

Stare decisis means that cases are

Answer 14

decided on the bases of precedent

Question 15

Judicial review means

Answer 15

the right of the courts to determine whether executive or legislative acts are or are not consitutional

Question 16

A Per Curiam decision is a

Answer 16

decision without explanation

Question 17

The proposal to add justices to the Supreme Court, known as the “court packing plan” to critics, was made by president ___, who wanted to be able to appoint justices more sympathetic to his philosophy than the “nine old men”

Answer 17

Franklin Roosevelt

Question 18

One of the most active Supreme Courts in shaping public policy in areas of desegregation and the rights of the accused was the

Answer 18

Warren Court

Question 19

Democratic theorist criticize the court on the grounds that they are

Answer 19

Not representative of the people or majority public opinion

Question 20

When a higher court hears a case that has previously been decided at a lower level, it is using its authority of

Answer 20

Appellate Jurisdiction

Question 21

Most cases reach the US Supreme Court through

Answer 21

The appellate jurisdiction of the court

Granting a writ of certiorari

Question 22

The US Supreme Court makes its decisions

Answer 22

in a very quick time frame

Question 23

Justices on the losing side can write which type of opinion

Answer 23

Dissent

Question 24

Which of the following is not part of the federal justicial system

Answer 24

State supreme court

Question 25

When a brief is filed by a group that is not a party to a case but the group wants its concern included in the case’s outcome, the brief is called

Answer 25

amicus curiae

Question 26

When nominating a justice to the US Supreme Court, presidents

Answer 26

always select someone from their own political party

Question 27

Using judicial precedent means

Answer 27

A courts decision on a case should be consistent with previous rulings.

Question 28

A court exercising judicial restraint would most likely

Answer 28

Defer to the judgment of legislatures and other elected officials
Respect precedent

Question 29

The doctrine of judicial activism would suggest that the Supreme Court

Answer 29

should interpret the law to protect the rights of individuals to achieve social justice
protect people from unreasonable governmental interference in their lives

Question 30

A concurring opinion

Answer 30

is delivered when a justice agrees with the majority’s decision, but for different reasons

Question 31

The federal district courts are

Answer 31

courts of original jurisdiction

Question 32

US courts of appeal

Answer 32

review decisions from district courts

Question 33

The US Court of Military Appeals is an example of what kind of federal court

Answer 33

Special US Courts