Question 1

On what bases are opinions assigned to Supreme Court justices for authorship?

Accepted Answer

In the United States Supreme Court, the

Question 2

In cases with a minimum winning coalition, the justice usually assigned to write the opinion is:

Accepted Answer

A)  the most senior member of the winning coalition 
B)  the most senior member of the dissenting coalition 
C)  the justice whose views are closest to the ideological middle 
D)  the chief justice 
A)  the most senior member of the winning coalition 
B)  the most senior member of the dissenting coalition 
C)  the justice whose views are closest to the ideological middle 
D)  the chief justice

Question 3

Which factor best accounts for the defeat of Robert Bork to serve on the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A)  Ethical issues dogged his nomination. 
B)  Northern Republicans found him unacceptable. 
C)  Southern Democrats perceived him to be too conservative. 
D)  President Reagan had little political clout at the time. 
A)  Ethical issues dogged his nomination. 
B)  Northern Republicans found him unacceptable. 
C)  Southern Democrats perceived him to be too conservative. 
D)  President Reagan had little political clout at the time.

Question 4

Who is the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A)  Maxine Waters 
B)  Elena Kagan 
C)  Sandra Day O'Connor 
D)  Ruth Bader Ginsburg 
A)  Maxine Waters 
B)  Elena Kagan 
C)  Sandra Day O'Connor 
D)  Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Question 5

Which statement best describes the Rehnquist court?

Accepted Answer

A)  more liberal than recent courts 
B)  five conservative justices largely controlled its decisions 
C)  dominated by four middle of the road justices 
D)  a solid four justice conservative bloc 
A)  more liberal than recent courts 
B)  five conservative justices largely controlled its decisions 
C)  dominated by four middle of the road justices 
D)  a solid four justice conservative bloc

Question 6

A justice of the Supreme Court who agrees with the decision of the majority in a case but not with the reasons for that decision, may write his own:

Accepted Answer

A)  minority opinion 
B)  majority opinion 
C)  amicus curiae opinion 
D)  concurring opinion 
E)  dissenting opinion 
A)  minority opinion 
B)  majority opinion 
C)  amicus curiae opinion 
D)  concurring opinion 
E)  dissenting opinion

Question 7

Judges who disagree with the majority decision of the Court:

Accepted Answer

A)  must remain silent 
B)  can vote against it but may not write an opinion 
C)  may write a dissenting opinion 
D)  may write a concurring opinion 
A)  must remain silent 
B)  can vote against it but may not write an opinion 
C)  may write a dissenting opinion 
D)  may write a concurring opinion

Question 8

How did the confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor change the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

The confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor to t

Question 9

The Supreme Court's decisions are rarely unanimous.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Dissenting opinions are important because:

Accepted Answer

A)  they represent the position of the chief justice 
B)  they are the statement of the defendant's attorney 
C)  in criminal law they must be carried out by local police 
D)  they can form the basis of arguments used years later, reversing the majority opinion in a similar case 
A)  they represent the position of the chief justice 
B)  they are the statement of the defendant's attorney 
C)  in criminal law they must be carried out by local police 
D)  they can form the basis of arguments used years later, reversing the majority opinion in a similar case

Question 11

A decision that decides the given case but is not usually regarded as being of strong precedential value is called:

Accepted Answer

A)  majority opinion 
B)  consenting opinion 
C)  plurality opinion 
D)  dissenting opinion 
E)  opinion of the court 
A)  majority opinion 
B)  consenting opinion 
C)  plurality opinion 
D)  dissenting opinion 
E)  opinion of the court

Question 12

Elena Kagan is the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

When Supreme Court justices compose their draft (preliminary) opinions, the main audience they are seeking to influence are:

Accepted Answer

A)  other judges in future cases 
B)  the mass media 
C)  the other two branches of government 
D)  their colleagues on the Court 
A)  other judges in future cases 
B)  the mass media 
C)  the other two branches of government 
D)  their colleagues on the Court

Question 14

Public opinion is believed to influence the Supreme Court:

Accepted Answer

A)  directly 
B)  through the appointment of new Supreme Court justices 
C)  through the legal briefs of the attorneys 
D)  a and b 
A)  directly 
B)  through the appointment of new Supreme Court justices 
C)  through the legal briefs of the attorneys 
D)  a and b

Question 15

Describe three criteria presidents use in choosing nominees for the Supreme Court.

Accepted Answer

1. Judicial Philosophy: Presidents often

Question 16

Describe three limiting conditions on the impact and implementation of Supreme Court decisions.

Accepted Answer

1. Political opposition: Supreme Court d

Question 17

Supreme Court justices by agreement rarely ask questions during oral argument.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Who was nominated to the Supreme Court for symbolic reasons as part of President Nixon's southern strategy?

Accepted Answer

A)  Lewis Powell 
B)  Warren Burger 
C)  William Rehnquist 
D)  Harry Blackmun 
E)  Sandra Day O'Connor 
A)  Lewis Powell 
B)  Warren Burger 
C)  William Rehnquist 
D)  Harry Blackmun 
E)  Sandra Day O'Connor

On what bases are opinions assigned to Supreme Court justices for authorship?

In cases with a minimum winning coalition, the justice usually assigned to write the opinion is:

Which factor best accounts for the defeat of Robert Bork to serve on the Supreme Court?

Who is the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court?

Which statement best describes the Rehnquist court?

A justice of the Supreme Court who agrees with the decision of the majority in a case but not with the reasons for that decision, may write his own:

Judges who disagree with the majority decision of the Court:

How did the confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor change the Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court's decisions are rarely unanimous.

Dissenting opinions are important because:

A decision that decides the given case but is not usually regarded as being of strong precedential value is called:

Elena Kagan is the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

When Supreme Court justices compose their draft (preliminary) opinions, the main audience they are seeking to influence are:

Public opinion is believed to influence the Supreme Court:

Describe three criteria presidents use in choosing nominees for the Supreme Court.

Describe three limiting conditions on the impact and implementation of Supreme Court decisions.

Supreme Court justices by agreement rarely ask questions during oral argument.

Who was nominated to the Supreme Court for symbolic reasons as part of President Nixon's southern strategy?

Law, Courts, and Politics

Law and Legal Systems

Federal Courts

State Courts

Lawyers and Legal Representation

Judges

Mobilizing the Law: Litigants, Interest Groups, Court Cases, and the Media

Trial Courts: the Preliminary Stages of Criminal Cases

Trial Courts: How Criminal Cases End: Bargaining and Sentencing

Trial Courts: How Civil Cases Begin

Trial Courts: How Civil Cases End

Trials and Juries

The Appellate Process

The Supreme Court: Deciding What to Decide

Filters

Exam 15: The Supreme Court: the Justices and Their Decisions

On what bases are opinions assigned to Supreme Court justices for authorship?

In cases with a minimum winning coalition, the justice usually assigned to write the opinion is:

Which factor best accounts for the defeat of Robert Bork to serve on the Supreme Court?

Who is the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court?

Which statement best describes the Rehnquist court?

A justice of the Supreme Court who agrees with the decision of the majority in a case but not with the reasons for that decision, may write his own:

Judges who disagree with the majority decision of the Court:

How did the confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor change the Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court's decisions are rarely unanimous.

Dissenting opinions are important because:

A decision that decides the given case but is not usually regarded as being of strong precedential value is called:

Elena Kagan is the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

When Supreme Court justices compose their draft (preliminary) opinions, the main audience they are seeking to influence are:

Public opinion is believed to influence the Supreme Court:

Describe three criteria presidents use in choosing nominees for the Supreme Court.

Describe three limiting conditions on the impact and implementation of Supreme Court decisions.

Supreme Court justices by agreement rarely ask questions during oral argument.

Who was nominated to the Supreme Court for symbolic reasons as part of President Nixon's southern strategy?

Law, Courts, and Politics

Law and Legal Systems

Federal Courts

State Courts

Lawyers and Legal Representation

Judges

Mobilizing the Law: Litigants, Interest Groups, Court Cases, and the Media

Trial Courts: the Preliminary Stages of Criminal Cases

Trial Courts: How Criminal Cases End: Bargaining and Sentencing

Trial Courts: How Civil Cases Begin

Trial Courts: How Civil Cases End

Trials and Juries

The Appellate Process

The Supreme Court: Deciding What to Decide

Filters