government institutions: federal courts

Question 1

jurisdiction

Answer 1

to have authority over something in a hearing *significance* - limits the power of a court to hear certain cases.

Question 2

original jurisdiction

Answer 2

the power to hear a case for the first time, *significance* - limited to a narrow but important range of cases.

Question 3

appellate jurisdiction

Answer 3

the power of a court to hear appeals from lower courts *significance* - a superior court has to bear appeals of causes which have been tried in inferior courts.

Question 4

judicial review

Answer 4

a court’s authority to examine an executive or legislative act and to invalidate that act if it is contrary to constitutional principles *significance* - power of courts of law to review the actions of the executive and legislative branches

Question 5

constitutional court

Answer 5

a high court that deals primarily with constitutional law. *significance* - rule on whether laws that are challenged are in fact unconstitutional, i.e., whether they conflict with constitutionally established rights and freedoms.

Question 6

legislative court

Answer 6

courts created by legislature, other than courts created by constitution *significance* - review agency decisions, military courts-martial appeal courts, ancillary courts with judges appointed by Article III appeals court judges, or administrative agencies and administrative law judges

Question 7

constitutional powers of the supreme court

Answer 7

Article III, Section I states that “The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”

Question 8

US district courts

Answer 8

he general trial courts of the United States federal court system *significance* - civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty.

Question 9

US court of appeals

Answer 9

a court in each of the 11 federal judicial districts of the U.S. that functions as a court of record, exercises appellate jurisdiction, is presided over by three or sometimes two judges, and may be overruled only by the Supreme Court of the U.S.

Question 10

US supreme court

Answer 10

the highest judicial court in a country or state. *significance* - have jurisdiction over all other courts in the nation

Question 11

US court of military appeals

Answer 11

an Article I court that exercises worldwide appellate jurisdiction over members of the United States Armed Forces on active duty and other persons subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Question 12

US court of claims

Answer 12

a United States federal court that hears monetary claims against the U.S. government. *significance* - a court of record with national jurisdiction

Question 13

US tax court

Answer 13

a specialized court of law that hears and adjudicates tax-related disputes and issues.

Question 14

US court of international trade

Answer 14

an Article III court, with full powers in law and equity. *significance* - addresses cases involving international trade and customs laws

Question 15

judicial restraint

Answer 15

encourages judges to limit the exercise of their own power. *significance* - emphasizes the limited nature of the court’s power

Answer 16

known as Conference of Senior Circuit Judges, created by the United States Congress in 1922

significance: frame policy guidelines for administration of judicial courts in the United States.

Answer 17

a Supreme Court of the United States practice that permits four of the nine justices to grant a writ of certiorari.

significance: prevent a majority of the Court from controlling the Court’s docket

Question 18

writ of certiorari

Answer 18

a writ by which a superior court can call up for review the record of a proceeding in an inferior court

Answer 19

a written document that explains why the person filing it should win the case or have his motion granted.

Question 20

amicus curiae brief

Answer 20

legal documents filed in appellate court cases by non-litigants with a strong interest in the subject matter.

significance: advise the court of relevant, additional information or arguments that the court might wish to consider.

Question 21

stare decisis

Answer 21

the doctrine of precedent.

significane: the legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent.

Answer 22

a constitutional doctrine that ensures states cannot enact laws that take away the constitutional rights of American citizens that are enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Question 23

standing (judicial)

Answer 23

capacity of a party to bring suit in court.

Answer 24

Allowing a poor person to bring suit without liability for the costs of the suit.

significance: referring to a party to a lawsuit who gets filing fees waived by filing a statement

Answer 25

The demographics of the Supreme Court of the United States encompass the gender, ethnicity, and religious, geographic, and economic backgrounds of the 112 people who have been appointed as justices to the Supreme Court.

Question 26

s. court litmus test

Answer 26

something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that is used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable

significance: used when selecting a nominee for a Supreme Court position.

Answer 27

nominating people for a supreme court position.

Answer 28

an approach that separates itself from directlobbying through the act of asking the general public to contact legislators and government officials concerning the issue at hand, as opposed to conveying the message to the legislators directly.

Answer 30

a custom whereby presidential appointments are confirmed only if there is no objection to them by the senators from the appointee’s state, especially from the senior senator of the president’s party from that state.