Lecture 1 Flashcards
How are federal judges nominated?
-All federal judges are nominated by the president
How are federal judges confirmed?
Federal judges are confirmed by a majority of the senate
How long do federal judges serve?
Federal judges serve for life
Is the court political?
The court is a very political place
What proportion of the senate is needed to confirm a nominee
Majority rule
What is the most trusted national institution in American politics?
The Supreme Court is the most trusted national institution in American politics.
What is the least democratic institution in American politics?
The Supreme Court is the least democratic institution in American politics
What did the founding fathers believe the weakest branch of government would be?
The founding fathers intended and believed that the judiciary branch would be the weakest branch of the government
What did Hamilton call the judiciary branch?
“The least dangerous branch”
What did Hamilton say the judiciary branch lacked?
He said the courts lacked the two most essential powers of government, the power of the purse (congress) and the sword (president), and all courts also lacked the ability to enforce their decision.
How many members are there in the Supreme Court?
Who can change that?
9
Congress
Who or what created the Supreme Court?
This court was established by article III of the constitution
What created the federal court system?
The federal court system was created by the judiciary act of 1798
What is the order of power for the federal courts and how many members do they have?
US Supreme Court
9 members
US Court of Appeals
13 of them
US District Court
94 of them
