Question 1

Which Supreme Court nominee was accused of sexual harassment during his confirmation hearing?

Accepted Answer

A) Samuel Alito 
B) Antonin Scalia 
C) Clarence Thomas 
D) Anthony Kennedy 
A) Samuel Alito 
B) Antonin Scalia 
C) Clarence Thomas 
D) Anthony Kennedy

Question 2

A certiorari pool describes the

Accepted Answer

A) computerized lottery system by which the Supreme Court selects its cases each year. 
B) practice by which Supreme Court law clerks work together to evaluate each petition. 
C) method used to appoint the chief justice. 
D) nickname for the water fountain in the courtyard of the Supreme Court building. 
A) computerized lottery system by which the Supreme Court selects its cases each year. 
B) practice by which Supreme Court law clerks work together to evaluate each petition. 
C) method used to appoint the chief justice. 
D) nickname for the water fountain in the courtyard of the Supreme Court building.

Question 3

Generally speaking, state defendants seeking a federal writ of habeas corpus must

Accepted Answer

A) show that they have exhausted all available state remedies and must raise issues not previously raised in their state appeals. 
B) demonstrate that they are not guilty of the accused crimes beyond a "reasonable doubt." 
C) hire the solicitor general to represent them. 
D) receive amicus briefs from at least three civil liberties organizations. 
A) show that they have exhausted all available state remedies and must raise issues not previously raised in their state appeals. 
B) demonstrate that they are not guilty of the accused crimes beyond a "reasonable doubt." 
C) hire the solicitor general to represent them. 
D) receive amicus briefs from at least three civil liberties organizations.

Question 4

Under normal rules of oral argument, each lawyer has ________ to present his or her case before the Supreme Court.

Accepted Answer

A) 30 minutes 
B) 1 hour 
C) 2 hours 
D) unlimited time 
A) 30 minutes 
B) 1 hour 
C) 2 hours 
D) unlimited time

Question 5

In a typical tort case

Accepted Answer

A) the defendant is not allowed to appeal the verdict if he or she loses. 
B) the plaintiff is not allowed to appeal the verdict if he or she loses. 
C) the government immediately appeals the verdict if it loses. 
D) one individual charges that he or she has been injured by another's negligence or malfeasance. 
A) the defendant is not allowed to appeal the verdict if he or she loses. 
B) the plaintiff is not allowed to appeal the verdict if he or she loses. 
C) the government immediately appeals the verdict if it loses. 
D) one individual charges that he or she has been injured by another's negligence or malfeasance.

Question 6

A person, agency, or interest group not directly a party to a case but with an interest in its outcome may file a(n) ________ brief.

Accepted Answer

A) certiorari 
B) per curiam 
C) amicus curiae 
D) standing 
A) certiorari 
B) per curiam 
C) amicus curiae 
D) standing

Question 7

Marbury v.Madison (1803) is an important case because the justices

Accepted Answer

A) recognized the authority of Congress to regulate the economy of the United States. 
B) nationalized the Bill of Rights. 
C) authorized the Supreme Court to exercise judicial review over laws passed by Congress. 
D) declared the secession of the Confederate states to be in violation of the Constitution. 
A) recognized the authority of Congress to regulate the economy of the United States. 
B) nationalized the Bill of Rights. 
C) authorized the Supreme Court to exercise judicial review over laws passed by Congress. 
D) declared the secession of the Confederate states to be in violation of the Constitution.

Question 8

When a justice agrees with the majority decision but disagrees with the rationale presented in the majority opinion, he or she may write a

Accepted Answer

A) dissent. 
B) special concurrence. 
C) regular concurrence. 
D) per curiam. 
A) dissent. 
B) special concurrence. 
C) regular concurrence. 
D) per curiam.

Question 9

If someone is an advocate of the philosophy of judicial restraint, he or she believes

Accepted Answer

A) in looking only at the words of the Constitution in order to understand its meaning. 
B) that the meaning of the law tends to evolve over time. 
C) the Court should go beyond the words of the Constitution or a statute to consider the broader societal implications of its decisions. 
D) that judges should openly consider both legal and political questions when adjudicating cases. 
A) in looking only at the words of the Constitution in order to understand its meaning. 
B) that the meaning of the law tends to evolve over time. 
C) the Court should go beyond the words of the Constitution or a statute to consider the broader societal implications of its decisions. 
D) that judges should openly consider both legal and political questions when adjudicating cases.

Question 10

The essence of the rule of law is

Accepted Answer

A) having a supreme court. 
B) having a government composed of a legislative, a judicial, and an executive branch. 
C) ensuring that "the state" and its officials are judged by a different set of laws than the citizenry. 
D) ensuring that "the state" and its officials are judged by the same laws as the citizenry. 
A) having a supreme court. 
B) having a government composed of a legislative, a judicial, and an executive branch. 
C) ensuring that "the state" and its officials are judged by a different set of laws than the citizenry. 
D) ensuring that "the state" and its officials are judged by the same laws as the citizenry.

Question 11

The Supreme Court has ruled that the president

Accepted Answer

A) can only declare someone an "enemy combatant" if he or she receives approval from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. 
B) can only declare someone an "enemy combatant" if he or she receives approval from a majority of the Senate Intelligence Committee. 
C) has no authority to declare someone an "enemy combatant." 
D) has the unilateral power to declare someone an "enemy combatant." 
A) can only declare someone an "enemy combatant" if he or she receives approval from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. 
B) can only declare someone an "enemy combatant" if he or she receives approval from a majority of the Senate Intelligence Committee. 
C) has no authority to declare someone an "enemy combatant." 
D) has the unilateral power to declare someone an "enemy combatant."

Question 12

When O.J.Simpson faced a criminal trial in Los Angeles for two counts of murder, the plaintiff(s)

Accepted Answer

A) were the victims of the crime, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. 
B) was the state of California. 
C) was the Los Angeles Police Department. 
D) was Los Angeles County. 
A) were the victims of the crime, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. 
B) was the state of California. 
C) was the Los Angeles Police Department. 
D) was Los Angeles County.

Question 13

The Supreme Court struck down state laws in the cases Brown v.Board of Education and Pavan v.Smith because the statutes in question

Accepted Answer

A) denied citizens equal protection of the law. 
B) violated the separation of powers. 
C) were too vague to be appropriately interpreted. 
D) ceded too much power to the federal government. 
A) denied citizens equal protection of the law. 
B) violated the separation of powers. 
C) were too vague to be appropriately interpreted. 
D) ceded too much power to the federal government.

Question 14

What was the basis of Justice John Marshall's assertion that the federal courts have the power of judicial review?

Accepted Answer

A) The Constitution grants the federal courts the power of judicial review. 
B) It is the duty of the federal judges to say what the law is; therefore, it is necessary for them to interpret and expound the law. 
C) Congress would have to ask the courts for permission to pass laws. 
D) The president should not be able to "get around" Congress by issuing executive orders on any issue he or she would like. 
A) The Constitution grants the federal courts the power of judicial review. 
B) It is the duty of the federal judges to say what the law is; therefore, it is necessary for them to interpret and expound the law. 
C) Congress would have to ask the courts for permission to pass laws. 
D) The president should not be able to "get around" Congress by issuing executive orders on any issue he or she would like.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about state and federal court procedures is MOST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) Federal courts are required to provide a grand jury, a 12-member trial jury, and a unanimous jury verdict, while state courts are not. 
B) State courts are required to provide a grand jury, a 12-member trial jury, and a unanimous jury verdict, while federal courts are not. 
C) Both state and federal courts are required to provide a grand jury, a 12-member trial jury, and a unanimous jury verdict. 
D) Neither state nor federal courts are required to provide a grand jury, a 12-member trial jury, and a unanimous jury verdict. 
A) Federal courts are required to provide a grand jury, a 12-member trial jury, and a unanimous jury verdict, while state courts are not. 
B) State courts are required to provide a grand jury, a 12-member trial jury, and a unanimous jury verdict, while federal courts are not. 
C) Both state and federal courts are required to provide a grand jury, a 12-member trial jury, and a unanimous jury verdict. 
D) Neither state nor federal courts are required to provide a grand jury, a 12-member trial jury, and a unanimous jury verdict.

Question 16

The power of the Supreme Court to review state actions and legislation is implied by

Accepted Answer

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

Question 17

If a defendant is found not guilty in a criminal case, the government is

Accepted Answer

A) not entitled to appeal the verdict. 
B) entitled to appeal the verdict only if it files a writ of habeas corpus. 
C) entitled to appeal the verdict only if it files an amicus curiae brief. 
D) entitled to appeal the verdict only if the case raises an important constitutional question. 
A) not entitled to appeal the verdict. 
B) entitled to appeal the verdict only if it files a writ of habeas corpus. 
C) entitled to appeal the verdict only if it files an amicus curiae brief. 
D) entitled to appeal the verdict only if the case raises an important constitutional question.

Question 18

The doctrine of ________ requires courts to follow authoritative prior decisions when ruling on a case.

Accepted Answer

A) stare decisis 
B) habeas corpus 
C) ex post facto 
D) a priori 
A) stare decisis 
B) habeas corpus 
C) ex post facto 
D) a priori

Question 19

What did the Supreme Court rule in Hamdi v.Rumsfeld (2004)?

Accepted Answer

A) The actions of a president are not subject to judicial review. 
B) The president does not have the authority to declare individuals to be "enemy combatants." 
C) Hamdi was entitled to a lawyer and an opportunity to rebut the government's charges against him. 
D) During a time of war, the president's power as commander in chief is unlimited. 
A) The actions of a president are not subject to judicial review. 
B) The president does not have the authority to declare individuals to be "enemy combatants." 
C) Hamdi was entitled to a lawyer and an opportunity to rebut the government's charges against him. 
D) During a time of war, the president's power as commander in chief is unlimited.

Question 20

A single lawsuit involving thousands of smokers suing a tobacco company would be an example of

Accepted Answer

A) a class-action suit. 
B) a plea bargain. 
C) amicus curiae. 
D) standing. 
A) a class-action suit. 
B) a plea bargain. 
C) amicus curiae. 
D) standing.

Which Supreme Court nominee was accused of sexual harassment during his confirmation hearing?

A certiorari pool describes the

Generally speaking, state defendants seeking a federal writ of habeas corpus must

Under normal rules of oral argument, each lawyer has ________ to present his or her case before the Supreme Court.

In a typical tort case

A person, agency, or interest group not directly a party to a case but with an interest in its outcome may file a(n) ________ brief.

Marbury v.Madison (1803) is an important case because the justices

When a justice agrees with the majority decision but disagrees with the rationale presented in the majority opinion, he or she may write a

If someone is an advocate of the philosophy of judicial restraint, he or she believes

The essence of the rule of law is

The Supreme Court has ruled that the president

When O.J.Simpson faced a criminal trial in Los Angeles for two counts of murder, the plaintiff(s)

The Supreme Court struck down state laws in the cases Brown v.Board of Education and Pavan v.Smith because the statutes in question

What was the basis of Justice John Marshall's assertion that the federal courts have the power of judicial review?

Which of the following statements about state and federal court procedures is MOST accurate?

The power of the Supreme Court to review state actions and legislation is implied by

If a defendant is found not guilty in a criminal case, the government is

The doctrine of ________ requires courts to follow authoritative prior decisions when ruling on a case.

What did the Supreme Court rule in Hamdi v.Rumsfeld (2004)?

A single lawsuit involving thousands of smokers suing a tobacco company would be an example of

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

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The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

Government and the Economy

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Exam 15: The Federal Courts

Which Supreme Court nominee was accused of sexual harassment during his confirmation hearing?

A certiorari pool describes the

Generally speaking, state defendants seeking a federal writ of habeas corpus must

Under normal rules of oral argument, each lawyer has ________ to present his or her case before the Supreme Court.

In a typical tort case

A person, agency, or interest group not directly a party to a case but with an interest in its outcome may file a(n) ________ brief.

Marbury v.Madison (1803) is an important case because the justices

When a justice agrees with the majority decision but disagrees with the rationale presented in the majority opinion, he or she may write a

If someone is an advocate of the philosophy of judicial restraint, he or she believes

The essence of the rule of law is

The Supreme Court has ruled that the president

When O.J.Simpson faced a criminal trial in Los Angeles for two counts of murder, the plaintiff(s)

The Supreme Court struck down state laws in the cases Brown v.Board of Education and Pavan v.Smith because the statutes in question

What was the basis of Justice John Marshall's assertion that the federal courts have the power of judicial review?

Which of the following statements about state and federal court procedures is MOST accurate?

The power of the Supreme Court to review state actions and legislation is implied by

If a defendant is found not guilty in a criminal case, the government is

The doctrine of ________ requires courts to follow authoritative prior decisions when ruling on a case.

What did the Supreme Court rule in Hamdi v.Rumsfeld (2004)?

A single lawsuit involving thousands of smokers suing a tobacco company would be an example of

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