Judicial Branch

Question 1

Amius Curia

Answer 1

A brief issued by a 3rd party explaining their position on the case

Question 2

Judiciary Act of 1789

Answer 2

Fleshed out the nature and organization of the court system

Question 3

Rule of 4

Answer 3

Cases are only reviewed if at least 4 justices want to review it

Question 4

Precedent

Answer 4

A judicial decision that guides future cases

Question 5

stare decisis

Answer 5

the practice of letting a previous precedent stand

Question 6

Criminal law

Answer 6

when a crime has been committed, prosecutor vs defendant

Question 7

Civil law

Answer 7

when someone’s rights/agreement has been violated, plantiff vs defendant

Question 8

Majority decision

Answer 8

a binding supreme court decision that is used as precedent for future cases

Question 9

concurring oppinion

Answer 9

an opinion that agrees with the majority decision, but has different reasoning and no precedent

Question 10

dissenting oppinion

Answer 10

an opinion that disagrees with the majority and does not have precedent

Question 11

Checks on Supreme Court Power

Answer 11

Must maintain prestige withing public, congress and states may amend constitution, congress may write legislation that modifies impact of supreme court decisions

Question 12

Judicial Supremacy

Answer 12

the supreme court should be the authoritative interpreter of the constitution.

Question 13

Strict Construction

Answer 13

Interpreting the constitution through the intentions of people who wrote it, strictly adhering to what was written in the constitution

Question 14

Loose Construction

Answer 14

Interpreting the constitution more broadly

Question 15

Who votes on supreme court justices

Answer 15

the senate

Question 16

Why are judges elected in some states?

Answer 16

people feared that legislators and governors were too close to appointed judges, undermining judicial independence. They thought that judicial independence isolated them from partisan patronage.