Question 1

The Supreme Court issues __________ that are essentially written statements containing the legal reasoning behind the Court's decisions.

Accepted Answer

A) opinions 
B) amicus curiae briefs 
C) percuriam statements 
D) treatises 
A) opinions 
B) amicus curiae briefs 
C) percuriam statements 
D) treatises

Question 2

In 1987,the Senate refused to confirm the nomination of __________ to the Supreme Court.

Accepted Answer

A) Antonin Scalia 
B) Earl Warren 
C) Robert Bork 
D) John Roberts 
A) Antonin Scalia 
B) Earl Warren 
C) Robert Bork 
D) John Roberts

Question 3

If a judge believes that he or she should defer to the decisions made by elected representatives whenever possible,the judge likely believes in which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A) judicial activism 
B) the attitudinal model of decision making 
C) originalism 
D) judicial restraint 
A) judicial activism 
B) the attitudinal model of decision making 
C) originalism 
D) judicial restraint

Question 4

Which of the following is within the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A) federal criminal matters 
B) tax disputes 
C) military tribunals 
D) cases prosecuting diplomats 
A) federal criminal matters 
B) tax disputes 
C) military tribunals 
D) cases prosecuting diplomats

Question 5

Who nominates judges to the U.S.district courts?

Accepted Answer

A) the president 
B) the House of Representatives 
C) the Senate 
D) the Supreme Court 
A) the president 
B) the House of Representatives 
C) the Senate 
D) the Supreme Court

Question 6

Which of the following has the most control over the cases it hears?

Accepted Answer

A) federal district courts 
B) trial courts 
C) state courts of original jurisdiction 
D) the U.S.Supreme Court 
A) federal district courts 
B) trial courts 
C) state courts of original jurisdiction 
D) the U.S.Supreme Court

Question 7

When a court bases its decision or opinion on previous court decisions or rulings,that is called?

Accepted Answer

A) percuriam 
B) stare decisis 
C) coram nobis 
D) amicus curiae 
A) percuriam 
B) stare decisis 
C) coram nobis 
D) amicus curiae

Question 8

Which court hears appeals from federal independent regulatory commissions?

Accepted Answer

A) courts of appeals 
B) the cabinet 
C) district courts 
D) U.S.Supreme Court 
A) courts of appeals 
B) the cabinet 
C) district courts 
D) U.S.Supreme Court

Question 9

How many district courts are in the federal system?

Accepted Answer

A) five 
B) 16 
C) 91 
D) 412 
A) five 
B) 16 
C) 91 
D) 412

Question 10

The __________ Act of 1789 established the basic three-tiered structure of the federal court system.

Accepted Answer

A) Federal Courts 
B) Appellate 
C) Confirmation 
D) Judiciary 
A) Federal Courts 
B) Appellate 
C) Confirmation 
D) Judiciary

Question 11

The conferences of the U.S.Supreme Court are __________.

Accepted Answer

A) limited to the justices and other Court staff 
B) limited to the justices themselves 
C) open to the justices and the public 
D) open to the justices and the media 
A) limited to the justices and other Court staff 
B) limited to the justices themselves 
C) open to the justices and the public 
D) open to the justices and the media

Question 12

______________ is the authority of a court to hear a case first,thus determining the facts of the case.

Accepted Answer

A) original jurisdiction 
B) judicial review 
C) jurisprudence 
D) confirmation 
A) original jurisdiction 
B) judicial review 
C) jurisprudence 
D) confirmation

Question 13

Which Court was one of the most active in shaping public policy in the twentieth century?

Accepted Answer

A) Rehnquist 
B) Warren 
C) Fortas 
D) Chase 
A) Rehnquist 
B) Warren 
C) Fortas 
D) Chase

Question 14

Which type of law involves the violation of the legal rights of one individual toward another?

Accepted Answer

A) civil 
B) natural 
C) recidivist 
D) criminal 
A) civil 
B) natural 
C) recidivist 
D) criminal

Question 15

Why did Justice Souter wait until 2009 to retire?

Accepted Answer

A) so that he would get a bigger pension 
B) so that Barack Obama rather than George W.Bush would name a new justice 
C) to avoid the appearance of impropriety when deciding important cases on the docket in 2008 
D) to ensure that he would be covered under the Affordable Care Act 
A) so that he would get a bigger pension 
B) so that Barack Obama rather than George W.Bush would name a new justice 
C) to avoid the appearance of impropriety when deciding important cases on the docket in 2008 
D) to ensure that he would be covered under the Affordable Care Act

Question 16

Under which of the following circumstances would a presidential nominee to the Supreme Court have the most trouble being confirmed?

Accepted Answer

A) when the House is opposed to the nominee's ideological orientation 
B) when a president nominates a woman or an ethnic or racial minority 
C) when a president makes a nomination at the beginning of his or her term 
D) when a president's party affiliation is in the minority in the Senate 
A) when the House is opposed to the nominee's ideological orientation 
B) when a president nominates a woman or an ethnic or racial minority 
C) when a president makes a nomination at the beginning of his or her term 
D) when a president's party affiliation is in the minority in the Senate

Question 17

When the U.S.Supreme Court agrees to hear a case appealed to it from a court of appeals,it is exercising its __________ jurisdiction.

Accepted Answer

A) original 
B) constitutional 
C) mandatory 
D) appellate 
A) original 
B) constitutional 
C) mandatory 
D) appellate

Question 18

What is the point of original jurisdiction for most litigation in the federal courts?

Accepted Answer

A) the Supreme Court 
B) the U.S.district courts 
C) the U.S.Court of Federal Claims 
D) the U.S.courts of appeals 
A) the Supreme Court 
B) the U.S.district courts 
C) the U.S.Court of Federal Claims 
D) the U.S.courts of appeals

Question 19

How many seats are currently authorized on the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A) five 
B) six 
C) eight 
D) nine 
A) five 
B) six 
C) eight 
D) nine

Question 20

In which courts are the vast majority of all cases tried?

Accepted Answer

A) federal 
B) district 
C) state 
D) appellate 
A) federal 
B) district 
C) state 
D) appellate

The Supreme Court issues __________ that are essentially written statements containing the legal reasoning behind the Court's decisions.

In 1987,the Senate refused to confirm the nomination of __________ to the Supreme Court.

If a judge believes that he or she should defer to the decisions made by elected representatives whenever possible,the judge likely believes in which of the following?

Which of the following is within the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?

Who nominates judges to the U.S.district courts?

Which of the following has the most control over the cases it hears?

When a court bases its decision or opinion on previous court decisions or rulings,that is called?

Which court hears appeals from federal independent regulatory commissions?

How many district courts are in the federal system?

The __________ Act of 1789 established the basic three-tiered structure of the federal court system.

The conferences of the U.S.Supreme Court are __________.

______________ is the authority of a court to hear a case first,thus determining the facts of the case.

Which Court was one of the most active in shaping public policy in the twentieth century?

Which type of law involves the violation of the legal rights of one individual toward another?

Why did Justice Souter wait until 2009 to retire?

Under which of the following circumstances would a presidential nominee to the Supreme Court have the most trouble being confirmed?

When the U.S.Supreme Court agrees to hear a case appealed to it from a court of appeals,it is exercising its __________ jurisdiction.

What is the point of original jurisdiction for most litigation in the federal courts?

How many seats are currently authorized on the Supreme Court?

In which courts are the vast majority of all cases tried?

Introducing Government in America

The Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties and Public Policy

Civil Rights and Public Policy

Public Opinion and Political Action

The Mass Media and the Political Agenda

Political Parties

Campaigns and Voting Behavior

Interest Groups

Congress

The Presidency

The Budget: the Politics of Taxing and Spending

The Federal Bureaucracy

Economic and Social Welfare Policymaking

Policymaking for Health Care, the Environment, and Energy

National Security Policymaking

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Exam 15: The Federal Courts

The Supreme Court issues __________ that are essentially written statements containing the legal reasoning behind the Court's decisions.

In 1987,the Senate refused to confirm the nomination of __________ to the Supreme Court.

If a judge believes that he or she should defer to the decisions made by elected representatives whenever possible,the judge likely believes in which of the following?

Which of the following is within the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?

Who nominates judges to the U.S.district courts?

Which of the following has the most control over the cases it hears?

When a court bases its decision or opinion on previous court decisions or rulings,that is called?

Which court hears appeals from federal independent regulatory commissions?

How many district courts are in the federal system?

The __________ Act of 1789 established the basic three-tiered structure of the federal court system.

The conferences of the U.S.Supreme Court are __________.

______________ is the authority of a court to hear a case first,thus determining the facts of the case.

Which Court was one of the most active in shaping public policy in the twentieth century?

Which type of law involves the violation of the legal rights of one individual toward another?

Why did Justice Souter wait until 2009 to retire?

Under which of the following circumstances would a presidential nominee to the Supreme Court have the most trouble being confirmed?

When the U.S.Supreme Court agrees to hear a case appealed to it from a court of appeals,it is exercising its __________ jurisdiction.

What is the point of original jurisdiction for most litigation in the federal courts?

How many seats are currently authorized on the Supreme Court?

In which courts are the vast majority of all cases tried?

Introducing Government in America

The Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties and Public Policy

Civil Rights and Public Policy

Public Opinion and Political Action

The Mass Media and the Political Agenda

Political Parties

Campaigns and Voting Behavior

Interest Groups

Congress

The Presidency

The Budget: the Politics of Taxing and Spending

The Federal Bureaucracy

Economic and Social Welfare Policymaking

Policymaking for Health Care, the Environment, and Energy

National Security Policymaking

Filters