Question 1

More than two dozen constitutional amendments were introduced in Congress, though none were passed, within eight months after which of the following Supreme Court decisions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Brown v. Board of Education 
B)  Roe v. Wade 
C)  Marbury v. Madison 
D)  Bush v. Gore 
E)  Miranda v. Arizona 
A)  Brown v. Board of Education 
B)  Roe v. Wade 
C)  Marbury v. Madison 
D)  Bush v. Gore 
E)  Miranda v. Arizona

Question 2

Discuss the process through which judges are appointed to the federal judiciary. What are some of the pitfalls within the process?

Accepted Answer

The process through which judges are app

Question 3

Public opinion can serve as a check on the judiciary in which of the following ways?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Supreme Court typically polls the public as a basis for its decisions. 
B)  People have the ability to vote federal judges out of office if they do not approve of the rulings of the courts. 
C)  Judges often believe they have an obligation to rule consistent with public opinion. 
D)  The president will veto a Supreme Court decision if it is unpopular. 
E)  Congress will override a decision of the Supreme Court with a majority vote in both houses. 
A)  The Supreme Court typically polls the public as a basis for its decisions. 
B)  People have the ability to vote federal judges out of office if they do not approve of the rulings of the courts. 
C)  Judges often believe they have an obligation to rule consistent with public opinion. 
D)  The president will veto a Supreme Court decision if it is unpopular. 
E)  Congress will override a decision of the Supreme Court with a majority vote in both houses.

Question 4

Compare and contrast the concepts of judicial restraint and judicial activism.

Accepted Answer

Judicial restraint and judicial activism

Question 5

A 2013 Senate rule change allows debate on judges other than Supreme Court justices to be cut off by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  A 60-vote majority 
B)  A presidential proclamation 
C)  A vote of the Senate Judiciary Committee 
D)  A simple majority 
E)  An agreement between the Senate majority leader and the Senate minority leader 
A)  A 60-vote majority 
B)  A presidential proclamation 
C)  A vote of the Senate Judiciary Committee 
D)  A simple majority 
E)  An agreement between the Senate majority leader and the Senate minority leader

Question 6

Which of the following is true of someone's right to have their case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A)  It only exists in criminal cases. 
B)  It only exists in federal cases. 
C)  In only exists in cases where someone has been sentenced to death. 
D)  It exists in all cases. 
E)  It is almost entirely at the Court's discretion. 
A)  It only exists in criminal cases. 
B)  It only exists in federal cases. 
C)  In only exists in cases where someone has been sentenced to death. 
D)  It exists in all cases. 
E)  It is almost entirely at the Court's discretion.

Question 7

In many cases, a third party to a court case will file which of the following to support a particular outcome?

Accepted Answer

A)  An amicus curiae brief 
B)  A precedent 
C)  A question of standing 
D)  A litigation brief 
E)  A writ of certiorari 
A)  An amicus curiae brief 
B)  A precedent 
C)  A question of standing 
D)  A litigation brief 
E)  A writ of certiorari

Question 8

The power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of a law or action is known as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Appellate review of fact 
B)  Judicial review 
C)  Precedent 
D)  The writ of judicial appeal 
E)  Habeas corpus 
A)  Appellate review of fact 
B)  Judicial review 
C)  Precedent 
D)  The writ of judicial appeal 
E)  Habeas corpus

Question 9

The Supreme Court's rulings generally are in line with popular opinion except for its decision on which of the following issues?

Accepted Answer

A)  Gay marriage 
B)  Federalism 
C)  Capital punishment 
D)  Gun control 
E)  Prayer in public schools 
A)  Gay marriage 
B)  Federalism 
C)  Capital punishment 
D)  Gun control 
E)  Prayer in public schools

Question 10

If the law places either too much or not enough emphasis on equality or order, the elected legislature can change the law, not the courts. This view is part of which of the following models?

Accepted Answer

A)  The majoritarian model 
B)  The elite model 
C)  The participatory model 
D)  The egalitarian model 
E)  The pluralist model 
A)  The majoritarian model 
B)  The elite model 
C)  The participatory model 
D)  The egalitarian model 
E)  The pluralist model

Question 11

What is the percentage of cases, either criminal or civil, in federal district courts that are tried rather than disposed of through plea bargaining?

Accepted Answer

A)  10 
B)  25 
C)  50 
D)  75 
E)  90 
A)  10 
B)  25 
C)  50 
D)  75 
E)  90

Question 12

Which of the following justices famously wrote in the Marbury v. Madison decision, "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is"?

Accepted Answer

A)  Thomas Jefferson 
B)  John Jay 
C)  Oliver Ellsworth 
D)  James Madison 
E)  John Marshall 
A)  Thomas Jefferson 
B)  John Jay 
C)  Oliver Ellsworth 
D)  James Madison 
E)  John Marshall

Question 13

Which of the following statements regarding a precedent is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  It means to reverse the decision of a lower court 
B)  It says the court does not have jurisdiction in a case. 
C)  It allows a court to refer the case to the next higher court. 
D)  It is the policy of following the law established by prior cases to decide other cases. 
E)  It means strict interpretation. 
A)  It means to reverse the decision of a lower court 
B)  It says the court does not have jurisdiction in a case. 
C)  It allows a court to refer the case to the next higher court. 
D)  It is the policy of following the law established by prior cases to decide other cases. 
E)  It means strict interpretation.

Question 14

The Supreme Court's power of judicial review was established by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Article III of the U.S. Constitution 
B)  The Tenth Amendment 
C)  The Court's decision in Marbury v. Madison 
D)  The Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson 
E)  The Court's decision in Kelo v. City of New London 
A)  Article III of the U.S. Constitution 
B)  The Tenth Amendment 
C)  The Court's decision in Marbury v. Madison 
D)  The Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson 
E)  The Court's decision in Kelo v. City of New London

Question 15

Federal appellate courts review and can overturn which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Precedents set by the U.S. Supreme Court 
B)  Only federal criminal cases 
C)  Rulings made by the lower federal courts 
D)  Guilt or innocence of defendants 
E)  Only civil cases 
A)  Precedents set by the U.S. Supreme Court 
B)  Only federal criminal cases 
C)  Rulings made by the lower federal courts 
D)  Guilt or innocence of defendants 
E)  Only civil cases

Question 16

A court case that involves a violation of public order, such as robbing a bank, is known as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Privacy 
B)  Appellate 
C)  Civil 
D)  Plea 
E)  Criminal 
A)  Privacy 
B)  Appellate 
C)  Civil 
D)  Plea 
E)  Criminal

Question 17

The opportunity for the president to appoint members to the federal judiciary is valuable for which of the following reasons?

Accepted Answer

A)  New justices help move long-term justices closer to mandatory retirement. 
B)  A majority of presidents have been able to make more than five appointments to the bench while in office. 
C)  Rulings related to redistricting and election laws will be altered to favor the president's political party. 
D)  The Court is able to move swiftly to begin ruling in favor of the president's ideology. 
E)  The political views of the president will continue to be institutionalized long after they have left the White House. 
A)  New justices help move long-term justices closer to mandatory retirement. 
B)  A majority of presidents have been able to make more than five appointments to the bench while in office. 
C)  Rulings related to redistricting and election laws will be altered to favor the president's political party. 
D)  The Court is able to move swiftly to begin ruling in favor of the president's ideology. 
E)  The political views of the president will continue to be institutionalized long after they have left the White House.

Question 18

If a state supreme court decides a case based solely on state law, what impact can the U.S. Supreme Court have on the decision?

Accepted Answer

A)  Overturn the case based on its own interpretation of state law 
B)  Declare the state law unconstitutional so that the case has to go back to lower state courts 
C)  Review the decision and use it as a precedent for federal cases 
D)  Using the theory of stare decisis, change the decision to meet federal guidelines 
E)  Nothing, as the U.S. Supreme Court can only rule on federal cases or constitutional questions 
A)  Overturn the case based on its own interpretation of state law 
B)  Declare the state law unconstitutional so that the case has to go back to lower state courts 
C)  Review the decision and use it as a precedent for federal cases 
D)  Using the theory of stare decisis, change the decision to meet federal guidelines 
E)  Nothing, as the U.S. Supreme Court can only rule on federal cases or constitutional questions

Question 19

Which of the following is the last step of the Supreme Court decision-making process?

Accepted Answer

A)  Announcing its decision to the public and the reasons for it 
B)  Assigning a justice to write the decision 
C)  Deciding if the Court will hear the case 
D)  Hearing oral arguments in the case 
E)  Asking the lower court to send the records of the case for review 
A)  Announcing its decision to the public and the reasons for it 
B)  Assigning a justice to write the decision 
C)  Deciding if the Court will hear the case 
D)  Hearing oral arguments in the case 
E)  Asking the lower court to send the records of the case for review

Question 20

Which of the following statements regarding federal judges is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are chosen in a secret process. 
B)  They are elected by the people. 
C)  They are appointed for life. 
D)  They are chosen by Congress. 
E)  They are appointed for a six-year term. 
A)  They are chosen in a secret process. 
B)  They are elected by the people. 
C)  They are appointed for life. 
D)  They are chosen by Congress. 
E)  They are appointed for a six-year term.

More than two dozen constitutional amendments were introduced in Congress, though none were passed, within eight months after which of the following Supreme Court decisions?

Discuss the process through which judges are appointed to the federal judiciary. What are some of the pitfalls within the process?

Public opinion can serve as a check on the judiciary in which of the following ways?

Compare and contrast the concepts of judicial restraint and judicial activism.

A 2013 Senate rule change allows debate on judges other than Supreme Court justices to be cut off by which of the following?

Which of the following is true of someone's right to have their case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court?

In many cases, a third party to a court case will file which of the following to support a particular outcome?

The power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of a law or action is known as which of the following?

The Supreme Court's rulings generally are in line with popular opinion except for its decision on which of the following issues?

If the law places either too much or not enough emphasis on equality or order, the elected legislature can change the law, not the courts. This view is part of which of the following models?

What is the percentage of cases, either criminal or civil, in federal district courts that are tried rather than disposed of through plea bargaining?

Which of the following justices famously wrote in the Marbury v. Madison decision, "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is"?

Which of the following statements regarding a precedent is true?

The Supreme Court's power of judicial review was established by which of the following?

Federal appellate courts review and can overturn which of the following?

A court case that involves a violation of public order, such as robbing a bank, is known as which of the following?

The opportunity for the president to appoint members to the federal judiciary is valuable for which of the following reasons?

If a state supreme court decides a case based solely on state law, what impact can the U.S. Supreme Court have on the decision?

Which of the following is the last step of the Supreme Court decision-making process?

Which of the following statements regarding federal judges is true?

Freedom, Order, or Equality

Majoritarian or Pluralist Democracy

The Constitution

Federalism

Public Opinion and Political Socialization

The Media

Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Nominations, Elections, and Campaigns

Interest Groups

Congress

The Presidency

The Bureaucracy

Order and Civil Liberties

Equality and Civil Rights

Economic Policy

Policymaking and Domestic Policy

Filters

Exam 14: The Courts

More than two dozen constitutional amendments were introduced in Congress, though none were passed, within eight months after which of the following Supreme Court decisions?

Discuss the process through which judges are appointed to the federal judiciary. What are some of the pitfalls within the process?

Public opinion can serve as a check on the judiciary in which of the following ways?

Compare and contrast the concepts of judicial restraint and judicial activism.

A 2013 Senate rule change allows debate on judges other than Supreme Court justices to be cut off by which of the following?

Which of the following is true of someone's right to have their case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court?

In many cases, a third party to a court case will file which of the following to support a particular outcome?

The power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of a law or action is known as which of the following?

The Supreme Court's rulings generally are in line with popular opinion except for its decision on which of the following issues?

If the law places either too much or not enough emphasis on equality or order, the elected legislature can change the law, not the courts. This view is part of which of the following models?

What is the percentage of cases, either criminal or civil, in federal district courts that are tried rather than disposed of through plea bargaining?

Which of the following justices famously wrote in the Marbury v. Madison decision, "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is"?

Which of the following statements regarding a precedent is true?

The Supreme Court's power of judicial review was established by which of the following?

Federal appellate courts review and can overturn which of the following?

A court case that involves a violation of public order, such as robbing a bank, is known as which of the following?

The opportunity for the president to appoint members to the federal judiciary is valuable for which of the following reasons?

If a state supreme court decides a case based solely on state law, what impact can the U.S. Supreme Court have on the decision?

Which of the following is the last step of the Supreme Court decision-making process?

Which of the following statements regarding federal judges is true?

Freedom, Order, or Equality

Majoritarian or Pluralist Democracy

The Constitution

Federalism

Public Opinion and Political Socialization

The Media

Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Nominations, Elections, and Campaigns

Interest Groups

Congress

The Presidency

The Bureaucracy

Order and Civil Liberties

Equality and Civil Rights

Economic Policy

Policymaking and Domestic Policy

Filters