Judiciary

Question 1

Jurisdiction

Answer 1

a given court’s authority to hear cases of a particular kind. Jurisdiction may be original or appellate.

Question 2

Original Jurisdiction

Answer 2

the authority of a given court to be the first to hear a case

Question 3

Appellate Jurisdiction

Answer 3

the authority of a given court to review cases that have already been tried in lower courts and are appealed to it by the losing party

Question 4

Precedent

Answer 4

a judicial decision that serves as a rule for settling subsequent cases of a similar nature

Question 5

Stare decisis

Answer 5

the power of the precedent- let the previous ruling stand

Question 6

Writ of certiorari

Answer 6

permission granted by a higher court to allow a losing party in a legal case to bring the case before it for a ruling

Question 7

Opinion of the court

Answer 7

a court’s written explanation of its decision which serves to inform others of the legal basis for the decisions

Question 8

majority opinion

Answer 8

opinion of the court

Question 9

Plurality Opinion

Answer 9

a court’s opinion that results when a majority of the justices agree on a decision in a case but do not agree on the legal basis for the decision.

Question 10

Concurring Opinion

Answer 10

agree with the ruling of the majority opinion but modify supportive reasoning

Question 11

Dissenting Opinion

Answer 11

minority opinion

Question 12

Per curiam belief

Answer 12

(a kind of court opinion) brief and unsigned

Question 13

Circuit Court

Answer 13

circuit courts deal with all appeals of decisions made in district courts for both civil and criminal cases

Question 14

Senatorial courtesy

Answer 14

appointees for federal courts are reviews by senators from that state, if the senators are of the president’s party

Question 15

Criminal Law

Answer 15

laws governing acts deemed illegal and punishable by government, such as robbery

Question 16

Procedural Law

Answer 16

laws governing the legal process and define proper courses of action by government and private parties

Question 17

Civil Law

Answer 17

laws governing relations between two parties

Question 18

Statutory Laws

Answer 18

courts are bound by laws made in congress unless the laws violate the constitution

Question 19

Compliance

Answer 19

the issue of whether judicial decisions will be respected and obeyed

Question 20

Judicial Activism

Answer 20

describes judicial rulings suspected of being based on personal or political considerations rather than on existing law

Question 21

Judicial Restraint

Answer 21

a judicial philosophy in which judges play minimal policy making roles, leaving that duty strictly to the legislators.

Question 22

Loose Constructionism

Answer 22

judges should look to the underlying principles of the constitution

Question 23

Strict Constructionism

Answer 23

judges are bound by the wording of the constitution. the constitution is taken to only have literal meaning

Question 24

in forma pauperis

Answer 24

a request to have a court wave filing fees in a civil action because the plaintiff is poor

Question 25

constitutional court

Answer 25

created by the constitution; exercise judicial powers found in Article III

Question 26

legislative court

Answer 26

created by Congress for specialized purposes, judges have fixed terms and can be removed, no salary protection

Question 27

litmus test

Answer 27

a standard that a president may use when selecting federal judges and justices

Question 28

Judicial Independence

Answer 28

concept that the judicial branch must be kept away from other branches of government should as not to become more political (stay away from partisan interests)

Question 29

Federal question cases

Answer 29

involving US constitution, federal law, treaties

Question 30

Diversity cases

Answer 30

involving different states or citizens

Question 31

Standing

Answer 31

guidelines involving who is being entitled to bring a case

Question 32

Solicitor General

Answer 32

counsel for the federal government; decides what cases the government will appeal rom lower courts and approves every case presented to the Supreme Court

Question 33

Chief Justice John Marshall

Answer 33

led the SCOTUS to several decisions that increased the power of the federal government and elevated the status of the court

Question 34

Name all current justices of the SC

Answer 34

John Roberts 
Anthony Kennedy 
Clarence Thomas 
Either Bader Ginsburg 
Stephen Breyer 
Samuel Anthony Alito 
Sonia Sotomayor 
Elena Kagan