Question 1

When interest groups use a "pattern-of-cases" strategy, they

Accepted Answer

A) submit amicus curiae briefs in every case that addresses their organizations' primary issues in the hopes that their framing of the legal questions raised in each case will persuade the justices. 
B) bring the same type of suit in more than one circuit in the hopes that inconsistent treatment by two different courts will improve the chance of a Supreme Court review. 
C) avoid filing any lawsuits until the composition of the court changes in a way that makes their preferred ruling more likely. 
D) attempt to prevent federal court nominees who are likely to oppose their agendas from being confirmed by the Senate. 
A) submit amicus curiae briefs in every case that addresses their organizations' primary issues in the hopes that their framing of the legal questions raised in each case will persuade the justices. 
B) bring the same type of suit in more than one circuit in the hopes that inconsistent treatment by two different courts will improve the chance of a Supreme Court review. 
C) avoid filing any lawsuits until the composition of the court changes in a way that makes their preferred ruling more likely. 
D) attempt to prevent federal court nominees who are likely to oppose their agendas from being confirmed by the Senate.

Question 2

Civil cases involving the citizens of more than one state and in which more than $75,000 is at stake

Accepted Answer

A) must always be heard in federal district court. 
B) must always be heard in a state court. 
C) must always be heard in the U.S.Supreme Court. 
D) may be heard in either the federal or the state courts, usually depending on the preference of the plaintiff. 
A) must always be heard in federal district court. 
B) must always be heard in a state court. 
C) must always be heard in the U.S.Supreme Court. 
D) may be heard in either the federal or the state courts, usually depending on the preference of the plaintiff.

Question 3

Cases in which the U.S.government is a party are

Accepted Answer

A) always heard in a state court. 
B) heard in a state court only if a state government is the other party. 
C) heard in a state court if the other party files a special request to have the case heard in a state court. 
D) always heard in a federal court. 
A) always heard in a state court. 
B) heard in a state court only if a state government is the other party. 
C) heard in a state court if the other party files a special request to have the case heard in a state court. 
D) always heard in a federal court.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

A) 1 
B) 10 
C) 20 
D) 48 
A) 1 
B) 10 
C) 20 
D) 48

Question 5

Each Supreme Court justice is assigned ________ law clerks.

Accepted Answer

A) 2 
B) 4 
C) 10 
D) 15 
A) 2 
B) 4 
C) 10 
D) 15

Question 6

What did the framers call the "LEAST dangerous branch" of American government?

Accepted Answer

A) Congress 
B) the Supreme Court 
C) the president 
D) the bureaucracy 
A) Congress 
B) the Supreme Court 
C) the president 
D) the bureaucracy

Question 7

Which of the following statements best describes the formal requirements of serving as a federal court judge?

Accepted Answer

A) Federal court judges must be members of the American Bar Association. 
B) Federal court judges must have a degree from an accredited law school. 
C) Federal court judges must be at least 35 years of age. 
D) There are no formal requirements to serve as a federal court judge. 
A) Federal court judges must be members of the American Bar Association. 
B) Federal court judges must have a degree from an accredited law school. 
C) Federal court judges must be at least 35 years of age. 
D) There are no formal requirements to serve as a federal court judge.

Question 8

In the 2014 case of Riley v.California, the Supreme Court held that

Accepted Answer

A) corporations have free speech rights under the First Amendment. 
B) state courts must provide legal counsel to defendants who could not afford their own attorneys. 
C) the police cannot undertake a warrantless search of the digital contents of a cell phone. 
D) the police can undertake a warrantless search of the digital contents of a cell phone if its officers believe there is "probable cause." 
A) corporations have free speech rights under the First Amendment. 
B) state courts must provide legal counsel to defendants who could not afford their own attorneys. 
C) the police cannot undertake a warrantless search of the digital contents of a cell phone. 
D) the police can undertake a warrantless search of the digital contents of a cell phone if its officers believe there is "probable cause."

Question 9

The first court to hear a criminal case involving a violation of state law is called a(n) ________ court.

Accepted Answer

A) supreme 
B) trial 
C) advisory 
D) appellate 
A) supreme 
B) trial 
C) advisory 
D) appellate

Question 10

The fact that the Supreme Court has been more willing to rule on affirmative action in recent years illustrates that the

Accepted Answer

A) principle of stare decisis requires the Court to constantly update its rulings on decades-old issues. 
B) original jurisdiction of the Court is always changing in response to contemporary political issues. 
C) question of which cases to accept is often simply a matter of the preferences and priorities of the Supreme Court's justices. 
D) president can dictate which cases are heard by the Supreme Court by issuing an executive order. 
A) principle of stare decisis requires the Court to constantly update its rulings on decades-old issues. 
B) original jurisdiction of the Court is always changing in response to contemporary political issues. 
C) question of which cases to accept is often simply a matter of the preferences and priorities of the Supreme Court's justices. 
D) president can dictate which cases are heard by the Supreme Court by issuing an executive order.

Question 11

The ________ is established by the Constitution and cannot be abolished by a congressional law.

Accepted Answer

A) Supreme Court 
B) federal circuit court system 
C) federal district court system 
D) U.S.Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit 
A) Supreme Court 
B) federal circuit court system 
C) federal district court system 
D) U.S.Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Question 12

In recent years, federal court appointments have

Accepted Answer

A) been characterized by strict neutrality on the part of Congress. 
B) attracted very little attention from the media and special interest groups. 
C) been characterized by intense partisan and ideological efforts to support or defeat the candidate. 
D) been unaffected by ideological concerns. 
A) been characterized by strict neutrality on the part of Congress. 
B) attracted very little attention from the media and special interest groups. 
C) been characterized by intense partisan and ideological efforts to support or defeat the candidate. 
D) been unaffected by ideological concerns.

Question 13

Which of the following statements about Congress's delegation of power to the executive is MOST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) The Constitution prevents Congress from delegating any power to the executive branch. 
B) The courts have refused to hear any cases regarding congressional delegation of power to the executive branch since the start of the New Deal. 
C) Since the New Deal, the courts have not struck down any congressional delegation of power to the executive branch as impermissibly broad. 
D) Since the New Deal, the courts have frequently struck down congressional attempts to delegate powers to the executive branch as impermissibly broad. 
A) The Constitution prevents Congress from delegating any power to the executive branch. 
B) The courts have refused to hear any cases regarding congressional delegation of power to the executive branch since the start of the New Deal. 
C) Since the New Deal, the courts have not struck down any congressional delegation of power to the executive branch as impermissibly broad. 
D) Since the New Deal, the courts have frequently struck down congressional attempts to delegate powers to the executive branch as impermissibly broad.

Question 14

How many justices currently serve on the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 15

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

Question 16

When President Andrew Jackson reputedly said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it," what did he mean?

Accepted Answer

A) The federal courts depend on Congress to fund the judicial police force. 
B) The Supreme Court is unable to enforce its decisions without the aid of the executive branch. 
C) It was time for Chief Justice John Marshall to become an attorney general. 
D) President Jackson was not going to allow Chief Justice Marshall to serve him a subpoena. 
A) The federal courts depend on Congress to fund the judicial police force. 
B) The Supreme Court is unable to enforce its decisions without the aid of the executive branch. 
C) It was time for Chief Justice John Marshall to become an attorney general. 
D) President Jackson was not going to allow Chief Justice Marshall to serve him a subpoena.

Question 17

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. 
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.

Question 18

________ and ________ are the two MOST common types of civil law cases.

Accepted Answer

A) Contracts; habeas corpus 
B) Contracts; torts 
C) Stare decisis; habeas corpus 
D) Torts; habeas corpus 
A) Contracts; habeas corpus 
B) Contracts; torts 
C) Stare decisis; habeas corpus 
D) Torts; habeas corpus

Question 19

What is common law?

Accepted Answer

A) another name for federal law 
B) law made by judges through their decisions, not through specific statutes 
C) law made by an administrative body 
D) law passed by the U.S.Congress 
A) another name for federal law 
B) law made by judges through their decisions, not through specific statutes 
C) law made by an administrative body 
D) law passed by the U.S.Congress

Question 20

The written document in which attorneys explain why the court should rule in favor of their clients is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

A) intervention. 
B) writ of certiorari. 
C) brief. 
D) writ of habeas corpus. 
A) intervention. 
B) writ of certiorari. 
C) brief. 
D) writ of habeas corpus.

When interest groups use a "pattern-of-cases" strategy, they

Civil cases involving the citizens of more than one state and in which more than $75,000 is at stake

Cases in which the U.S.government is a party are

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

Each Supreme Court justice is assigned ________ law clerks.

What did the framers call the "LEAST dangerous branch" of American government?

Which of the following statements best describes the formal requirements of serving as a federal court judge?

In the 2014 case of Riley v.California, the Supreme Court held that

The first court to hear a criminal case involving a violation of state law is called a(n) ________ court.

The fact that the Supreme Court has been more willing to rule on affirmative action in recent years illustrates that the

The ________ is established by the Constitution and cannot be abolished by a congressional law.

In recent years, federal court appointments have

Which of the following statements about Congress's delegation of power to the executive is MOST accurate?

How many justices currently serve on the Supreme Court?

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

When President Andrew Jackson reputedly said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it," what did he mean?

A writ of habeas corpus declares that

and are the two MOST common types of civil law cases.

What is common law?

The written document in which attorneys explain why the court should rule in favor of their clients is called a(n)

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

When interest groups use a "pattern-of-cases" strategy, they

Civil cases involving the citizens of more than one state and in which more than $75,000 is at stake

Cases in which the U.S.government is a party are

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

Each Supreme Court justice is assigned ________ law clerks.

What did the framers call the "LEAST dangerous branch" of American government?

Which of the following statements best describes the formal requirements of serving as a federal court judge?

In the 2014 case of Riley v.California, the Supreme Court held that

The first court to hear a criminal case involving a violation of state law is called a(n) ________ court.

The fact that the Supreme Court has been more willing to rule on affirmative action in recent years illustrates that the

The ________ is established by the Constitution and cannot be abolished by a congressional law.

In recent years, federal court appointments have

Which of the following statements about Congress's delegation of power to the executive is MOST accurate?

How many justices currently serve on the Supreme Court?

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

When President Andrew Jackson reputedly said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it," what did he mean?

A writ of habeas corpus declares that

________ and ________ are the two MOST common types of civil law cases.

What is common law?

The written document in which attorneys explain why the court should rule in favor of their clients is called a(n)

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

and are the two MOST common types of civil law cases.