judicial Flashcards
Can a U.S. Supreme Court Justice be impeached?
Yes
Can a U.S. Supreme Court ruling be appealed?
No
Are federal judges ever elected?
No
How many people serve on the U.S. Supreme Court?
9
Are district courts part of the federal court system?
Yes
What does the Judicial Branch of government do?
Interprets laws
How do superior court judges in California get their jobs?
By county elections, but vacancies are filled by the governor
Cases that involve the Constitution are handled by which court system…federal or state?
Federal
What court case gave people a guarantee of rights if they are arrested?
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
What actions can the circuit court of appeals take on a case?
May approve the district court’s decision; May reverse the district court’s decision; May order a new trial at the district court level; May pass the case onto the U.S. Supreme Court
A party defending against a lawsuit is called the __________.
Defendant
What are the 3 ways for an appellate case to reach the U.S. Supreme Court?
State Supreme Court; Circuit Court of Appeals; Court of Claims
Can the U.S. Supreme Court rule that a law is not constitutional?
Yes
A party who starts a lawsuit is called the __________.
Plaintiff
What is a minor crime called?
A misdemeanor
How do we decide how many district courts a state will have?
By the population of the state
There are 2 types of court cases, what are they?
Criminal and civil
What is the highest court of the land?
The United States Supreme Court
Is there a jury on U.S. Supreme Court cases?
No
When a U.S. Supreme Court Justice agrees with the majority opinion, but not necessarily with the reasons for that decision, he may write a _________ opinion.
Concurring
How do Supreme Court Justices get their jobs?
Appointed by the President; Approved by the Senate
A party appealing a court decision is known as the _________.
Appellant
What is the supreme law of the land?
The U.S. Constitution
What are the people who serve under the Chief Justice called?
Associate Justices
What is the minimum number of district courts a state must have?
1
What is a serious crime called?
A felony
How long does a U.S. Supreme Court Justice serve for?
Life with good behavior
How do district judges get their jobs?
Appointed by the President; Approved by the Senate
For judicial purposes, the United States and its protectorates are divided into ______ circuits.
13
If a person had a claim against the U.S. government, what court would hear the case?
Court of Claims
Who presides over the U.S. Supreme Court? (Name the position.)
Chief Justice
How many votes form a majority in the U.S. Supreme Court?
5
The U.S. Supreme Court decides cases by a ________ majority vote.
Simple
Our court system is derived from another country—what country?
England
A superior court is part of the federal court system, True or False?
false
What court would handle simple misdemeanor cases (traffic citations, etc.) in California?
The superior court
What court case established the power…
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
When a U.S. Supreme Court justice disagrees with a court decision, he or she may write a ___________.
Dissenting opinion
What court case established the “separate…
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
What court case overturned…
Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954)
The power to establish the lower court system was given to whom?
Congress
The U.S. is divided into districts for federal courts. How many districts are there?
94
Who is the current Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court?
John Roberts
What are two types of jurisdictions the U.S. Supreme Court has on cases?
Original and Appellate
What does the U.S. Supreme Court set when it rules on a case.
Precedent
What type of jurisdiction allows the U.S Supreme Court to hear a case never argued in a court of law?
Original Jurisdiction
What type of jurisdiction allows the U.S. Supreme Court to review a case already heard in a lower court?
Appellate Jurisdiction
