Question 1

________ is an example of a justice who advocated judicial restraint.

Accepted Answer

A)  Harry Blackmun 
B)  Earl Warren 
C)  John Marshall 
D)  Felix Frankfurter 
E)  Ruth Bader Ginsburg 
A)  Harry Blackmun 
B)  Earl Warren 
C)  John Marshall 
D)  Felix Frankfurter 
E)  Ruth Bader Ginsburg D

Question 2

Prior cases whose principles are used by judges to decide current cases are called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  public law 
B)  en blanc decisions 
C)  precedents 
D)  common law 
E)  ex post facto cases 
A)  public law 
B)  en blanc decisions 
C)  precedents 
D)  common law 
E)  ex post facto cases C

Question 3

What did the framers call the "least dangerous branch"?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Senate 
B)  the Supreme Court 
C)  the system of state courts 
D)  the president 
E)  the bureaucracy 
A)  the Senate 
B)  the Supreme Court 
C)  the system of state courts 
D)  the president 
E)  the bureaucracy B

Question 4

The process of confirming federal court appointments has recently become very contentious. Describe the steps to becoming a federal judge. Why has this process become so controversial in recent years? Provide some examples of this conflict in the confirmation process.

Accepted Answer

The process of confirming federal court

Question 5

Through the exercise of ________, the Supreme Court has held actions or laws of the executive and legislative branches unconstitutional.

Accepted Answer

A)  stare decisis 
B)  writs of certiorari 
C)  judicial review 
D)  clemency 
E)  writs of habeas corpus 
A)  stare decisis 
B)  writs of certiorari 
C)  judicial review 
D)  clemency 
E)  writs of habeas corpus

Question 6

What is the most frequent and best known action of Supreme Court justices in their role as circuit justices?

Accepted Answer

A)  vetting cases for the Supreme Court 
B)  hearing challenges to state laws 
C)  writing writs of habeas corpus 
D)  reviewing requests for stays of execution 
E)  overturning laws passed by Congress 
A)  vetting cases for the Supreme Court 
B)  hearing challenges to state laws 
C)  writing writs of habeas corpus 
D)  reviewing requests for stays of execution 
E)  overturning laws passed by Congress

Question 7

What is the main function of the chief justice of the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A)  The chief justice decides what cases will be heard by the full Court each term. 
B)  The chief justice always writes the Court's majority opinions. 
C)  The chief justice presides over the Court's public sessions and private conferences. 
D)  The chief justice is also the constitutional adviser to the president. 
E)  The chief justice is the constitutional adviser to Congress. 
A)  The chief justice decides what cases will be heard by the full Court each term. 
B)  The chief justice always writes the Court's majority opinions. 
C)  The chief justice presides over the Court's public sessions and private conferences. 
D)  The chief justice is also the constitutional adviser to the president. 
E)  The chief justice is the constitutional adviser to Congress.

Question 8

The number of cases filed in the Supreme Court has

Accepted Answer

A)  increased dramatically since 1940. 
B)  decreased dramatically since 1940. 
C)  remained the same since 1940. 
D)  increased between 1940 and 1965 but decreased since 1965. 
E)  decreased between 1940 and 1965 but increased since 1965. 
A)  increased dramatically since 1940. 
B)  decreased dramatically since 1940. 
C)  remained the same since 1940. 
D)  increased between 1940 and 1965 but decreased since 1965. 
E)  decreased between 1940 and 1965 but increased since 1965.

Question 9

About ________ percent of all lower court cases are reviewed by federal appeals courts.

Accepted Answer

A)  1 
B)  10 
C)  20 
D)  40 
E)  58 
A)  1 
B)  10 
C)  20 
D)  40 
E)  58

Question 10

The power of the Supreme Court to review state actions and legislation comes from ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the judicial review clause of Article III 
B)  the supremacy clause of Article VI 
C)  the Tenth Amendment 
D)  Marbury v. Madison 
E)  Congress 
A)  the judicial review clause of Article III 
B)  the supremacy clause of Article VI 
C)  the Tenth Amendment 
D)  Marbury v. Madison 
E)  Congress

Question 11

Which of the following is part of the Miranda rule?

Accepted Answer

A)  Arrested people have the right to remain silent. 
B)  Arrested people have the right to sue the police for police brutality. 
C)  Arrested people have the right to fair trials. 
D)  Arrested people have the right to face their accusers. 
E)  Arrested people have the right to reasonable bails. 
A)  Arrested people have the right to remain silent. 
B)  Arrested people have the right to sue the police for police brutality. 
C)  Arrested people have the right to fair trials. 
D)  Arrested people have the right to face their accusers. 
E)  Arrested people have the right to reasonable bails.

Question 12

________ occurs when a criminal case is resolved through a negotiated agreement before a full trial is completed.

Accepted Answer

A)  A misdemeanor 
B)  A plea bargain 
C)  Taking the Fifth 
D)  A writ of certiorari 
E)  Mediation 
A)  A misdemeanor 
B)  A plea bargain 
C)  Taking the Fifth 
D)  A writ of certiorari 
E)  Mediation

Question 13

The written opinions of appellate courts have been described as halfway between ________ and ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  common law; statutory law 
B)  stare decisis; administrative rule making 
C)  civil law; constitutional law 
D)  public law; private law 
E)  common law; public law 
A)  common law; statutory law 
B)  stare decisis; administrative rule making 
C)  civil law; constitutional law 
D)  public law; private law 
E)  common law; public law

Question 14

If a man is arrested because his home was searched by police without a legal warrant, he could argue in court that he had been denied ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  a writ of habeas corpus 
B)  his Miranda rights 
C)  a writ of certiorari 
D)  judicial review 
E)  the due process of law 
A)  a writ of habeas corpus 
B)  his Miranda rights 
C)  a writ of certiorari 
D)  judicial review 
E)  the due process of law

Question 15

Baker v. Carr (1962) involved ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  desegregation of schools 
B)  apportionment of legislative seats 
C)  unwarranted searches and seizures 
D)  the separation of church and state 
E)  state restrictions on carrying handguns in public 
A)  desegregation of schools 
B)  apportionment of legislative seats 
C)  unwarranted searches and seizures 
D)  the separation of church and state 
E)  state restrictions on carrying handguns in public

Question 16

When a justice agrees with the ruling of the Court's majority but not all of its reasoning, he or she may often write ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  a dissent 
B)  a concurrence 
C)  ex parte 
D)  per curiam 
E)  a writ of certiorari 
A)  a dissent 
B)  a concurrence 
C)  ex parte 
D)  per curiam 
E)  a writ of certiorari

Question 17

How many justices currently serve on the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A)  7 
B)  9 
C)  10 
D)  11 
E)  15 
A)  7 
B)  9 
C)  10 
D)  11 
E)  15

Question 18

Normally, ________ judge(s) hear(s) a specific case on a federal circuit court of appeals.

Accepted Answer

A)  1 
B)  3 
C)  9 
D)  15 
E)  all of the 
A)  1 
B)  3 
C)  9 
D)  15 
E)  all of the

Question 19

When a private individual brings a suit against a company for breaking a contract, this is an example of ________ law.

Accepted Answer

A)  criminal 
B)  civil 
C)  public 
D)  constitutional 
E)  common 
A)  criminal 
B)  civil 
C)  public 
D)  constitutional 
E)  common

Question 20

A writ of habeas corpus declares that

Accepted Answer

A)  the government must show a legal cause for holding someone in detention. 
B)  the government cannot send a defendant to stand trial in a geographically distant jurisdiction. 
C)  a defendant in a felony trial must receive assistance from legal counsel. 
D)  capital punishment can be neither cruel nor unusual. 
E)  the government cannot search premises without a warrant issued by a judge. 
A)  the government must show a legal cause for holding someone in detention. 
B)  the government cannot send a defendant to stand trial in a geographically distant jurisdiction. 
C)  a defendant in a felony trial must receive assistance from legal counsel. 
D)  capital punishment can be neither cruel nor unusual. 
E)  the government cannot search premises without a warrant issued by a judge.

________ is an example of a justice who advocated judicial restraint.

Prior cases whose principles are used by judges to decide current cases are called ________.

What did the framers call the "least dangerous branch"?

The process of confirming federal court appointments has recently become very contentious. Describe the steps to becoming a federal judge. Why has this process become so controversial in recent years? Provide some examples of this conflict in the confirmation process.

Through the exercise of ________, the Supreme Court has held actions or laws of the executive and legislative branches unconstitutional.

What is the most frequent and best known action of Supreme Court justices in their role as circuit justices?

What is the main function of the chief justice of the Supreme Court?

The number of cases filed in the Supreme Court has

About ________ percent of all lower court cases are reviewed by federal appeals courts.

The power of the Supreme Court to review state actions and legislation comes from ________.

Which of the following is part of the Miranda rule?

________ occurs when a criminal case is resolved through a negotiated agreement before a full trial is completed.

The written opinions of appellate courts have been described as halfway between and .

If a man is arrested because his home was searched by police without a legal warrant, he could argue in court that he had been denied ________.

Baker v. Carr (1962) involved ________.

When a justice agrees with the ruling of the Court's majority but not all of its reasoning, he or she may often write ________.

How many justices currently serve on the Supreme Court?

Normally, ________ judge(s) hear(s) a specific case on a federal circuit court of appeals.

When a private individual brings a suit against a company for breaking a contract, this is an example of ________ law.

A writ of habeas corpus declares that

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters

Exam 15: The Federal Courts

________ is an example of a justice who advocated judicial restraint.

Prior cases whose principles are used by judges to decide current cases are called ________.

What did the framers call the "least dangerous branch"?

The process of confirming federal court appointments has recently become very contentious. Describe the steps to becoming a federal judge. Why has this process become so controversial in recent years? Provide some examples of this conflict in the confirmation process.

Through the exercise of ________, the Supreme Court has held actions or laws of the executive and legislative branches unconstitutional.

What is the most frequent and best known action of Supreme Court justices in their role as circuit justices?

What is the main function of the chief justice of the Supreme Court?

The number of cases filed in the Supreme Court has

About ________ percent of all lower court cases are reviewed by federal appeals courts.

The power of the Supreme Court to review state actions and legislation comes from ________.

Which of the following is part of the Miranda rule?

________ occurs when a criminal case is resolved through a negotiated agreement before a full trial is completed.

The written opinions of appellate courts have been described as halfway between ________ and ________.

If a man is arrested because his home was searched by police without a legal warrant, he could argue in court that he had been denied ________.

Baker v. Carr (1962) involved ________.

When a justice agrees with the ruling of the Court's majority but not all of its reasoning, he or she may often write ________.

How many justices currently serve on the Supreme Court?

Normally, ________ judge(s) hear(s) a specific case on a federal circuit court of appeals.

When a private individual brings a suit against a company for breaking a contract, this is an example of ________ law.

A writ of habeas corpus declares that

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters

The written opinions of appellate courts have been described as halfway between and .