Question 1

What types of cases does the Texas Supreme Court hear?

Accepted Answer

A)  civil appeals 
B)  appeals on civil and criminal cases 
C)  both trial and appeals in tort-law cases 
D)  final appeals on all civil and death penalty cases 
E)  any cases it chooses to hear 
A)  civil appeals 
B)  appeals on civil and criminal cases 
C)  both trial and appeals in tort-law cases 
D)  final appeals on all civil and death penalty cases 
E)  any cases it chooses to hear

Question 2

A(n) ______ determines whether sufficient evidence is available to justify a trial.

Accepted Answer

A)  justice of the peace 
B)  en banc committee 
C)  grand jury 
D)  district attorney 
E)  probate judge 
A)  justice of the peace 
B)  en banc committee 
C)  grand jury 
D)  district attorney 
E)  probate judge

Question 3

In Texas, the legal standard of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is used in which types of cases?

Accepted Answer

A)  criminal 
B)  civil 
C)  criminal and civil 
D)  statutory 
E)  none-"beyond a reasonable doubt" is a standard used in federal, not state, court 
A)  criminal 
B)  civil 
C)  criminal and civil 
D)  statutory 
E)  none-"beyond a reasonable doubt" is a standard used in federal, not state, court

Question 4

A majority of the judges in Texas are Hispanic.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

If a trial is held before a judge only, and without a jury, it is

Accepted Answer

A)  a judicial trial 
B)  a summary judgment 
C)  a bench trial 
D)  a grand jury 
E)  unconstitutional 
A)  a judicial trial 
B)  a summary judgment 
C)  a bench trial 
D)  a grand jury 
E)  unconstitutional

Question 6

What is the most important role the governor of Texas plays in the judicial process?

Accepted Answer

A)  The governor has the power to permanently appoint all municipal court judges. 
B)  The governor has the power to limit the jurisdiction of the appellate courts. 
C)  The governor has the power to appoint judges to fill any vacancies on the bench for the time period before elections are held. 
D)  The governor has the power to add additional judges to the appellate courts whenever there is a six-month backlog in cases. 
E)  The governor appoints all members to the Texas Supreme Court. 
A)  The governor has the power to permanently appoint all municipal court judges. 
B)  The governor has the power to limit the jurisdiction of the appellate courts. 
C)  The governor has the power to appoint judges to fill any vacancies on the bench for the time period before elections are held. 
D)  The governor has the power to add additional judges to the appellate courts whenever there is a six-month backlog in cases. 
E)  The governor appoints all members to the Texas Supreme Court.

Question 7

A controversy concerning the method of judicial selection in Texas is that there may be conflicts of interest when judges must hear cases determining the financial interests of persons who have donated to their campaigns.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

What is the process for granting clemency in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)  The governor has complete control of whether to grant clemency. 
B)  The governor must follow the recommendations of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. 
C)  The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles makes a unilateral collective decision. 
D)  There is no procedure for clemency in Texas. 
E)  The case must be overturned by the court of criminal appeals. 
A)  The governor has complete control of whether to grant clemency. 
B)  The governor must follow the recommendations of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. 
C)  The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles makes a unilateral collective decision. 
D)  There is no procedure for clemency in Texas. 
E)  The case must be overturned by the court of criminal appeals.

Question 9

Each incorporated town or city in Texas has a municipal court.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

The governor of Texas is unable to grant clemency to death-row inmates without the recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

In ______, the first woman to serve as a Texas state judge was appointed.

Accepted Answer

A)  1887 
B)  1902 
C)  1935 
D)  1967 
E)  1985 
A)  1887 
B)  1902 
C)  1935 
D)  1967 
E)  1985

Question 12

What is it called when a blue-ribbon committee selects judicial nominees who are then appointed by the governor and must finally run for retention in office?

Accepted Answer

A)  en banc selection 
B)  progressive reform selection 
C)  nonpartisan selection 
D)  merit selection 
E)  committee certification 
A)  en banc selection 
B)  progressive reform selection 
C)  nonpartisan selection 
D)  merit selection 
E)  committee certification

Question 13

In Texas, appellate court judges are elected, but trial judges are appointed by the governor to six-year terms.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

According to the text, which of the following is not a reason that there are few minority judges in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)  One must be a lawyer to be a judge, and there are few minority lawyers in Texas. 
B)  Judicial districts are often quite large, and minority voters rarely make up a majority in these districts. 
C)  Minority voters tend to be Democrats and the Republican Party currently dominates Texas elections. 
D)  White voters participate in countywide elections more than minority voters. 
E)  Minority candidates tend to be outspent by white candidates. 
A)  One must be a lawyer to be a judge, and there are few minority lawyers in Texas. 
B)  Judicial districts are often quite large, and minority voters rarely make up a majority in these districts. 
C)  Minority voters tend to be Democrats and the Republican Party currently dominates Texas elections. 
D)  White voters participate in countywide elections more than minority voters. 
E)  Minority candidates tend to be outspent by white candidates.

Question 15

What is the difference between civil and criminal law? How is this difference reflected in the standards by which one's case is judged?

Accepted Answer

Civil law and criminal law are two disti

Question 16

The Texas constitution requires that the legal standard of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt be used only in cases involving the death penalty.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

By 2011, in Dallas County

Accepted Answer

A)  DNA evidence was used to exonerate twenty-two wrongfully convicted men. 
B)  the district attorney announced a new policy of seeking life in prison rather than the death penalty in capital cases. 
C)  the county jails were temporarily closed by the state due to health and overcrowding problems. 
D)  fourteen judges were impeached for accepting bribes from undercover federal agents. 
E)  fifteen police officers were fired for tampering with evidence. 
A)  DNA evidence was used to exonerate twenty-two wrongfully convicted men. 
B)  the district attorney announced a new policy of seeking life in prison rather than the death penalty in capital cases. 
C)  the county jails were temporarily closed by the state due to health and overcrowding problems. 
D)  fourteen judges were impeached for accepting bribes from undercover federal agents. 
E)  fifteen police officers were fired for tampering with evidence.

Question 18

What is the particular problem in Texas judicial elections known as the "name game"?

Accepted Answer

A)  Voters will often vote for a candidate by looking at his or her party affiliation, not his or her name. 
B)  Many voters will vote for a judicial candidate whose name they are familiar with, even if they know nothing about the candidate. 
C)  Judicial candidates sometimes make up colorful nicknames, like "Hang 'em High" Johnson, that serve as free advertisements for their judging beliefs. 
D)  Only big-name candidates can raise enough campaign contributions. 
E)  Voters will often vote for a candidate whose name is listed first on the ballot. 
A)  Voters will often vote for a candidate by looking at his or her party affiliation, not his or her name. 
B)  Many voters will vote for a judicial candidate whose name they are familiar with, even if they know nothing about the candidate. 
C)  Judicial candidates sometimes make up colorful nicknames, like "Hang 'em High" Johnson, that serve as free advertisements for their judging beliefs. 
D)  Only big-name candidates can raise enough campaign contributions. 
E)  Voters will often vote for a candidate whose name is listed first on the ballot.

Question 19

The Texas Supreme Court has jurisdiction over the automatic appeals in all death penalty cases.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

The federal Supreme Court has ruled that the Voting Rights Act applies to state judicial elections.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 25: The Texas Judiciary

What types of cases does the Texas Supreme Court hear?

A(n) ______ determines whether sufficient evidence is available to justify a trial.

In Texas, the legal standard of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is used in which types of cases?

A majority of the judges in Texas are Hispanic.

If a trial is held before a judge only, and without a jury, it is

What is the most important role the governor of Texas plays in the judicial process?

A controversy concerning the method of judicial selection in Texas is that there may be conflicts of interest when judges must hear cases determining the financial interests of persons who have donated to their campaigns.

What is the process for granting clemency in Texas?

Each incorporated town or city in Texas has a municipal court.

The governor of Texas is unable to grant clemency to death-row inmates without the recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.

In ______, the first woman to serve as a Texas state judge was appointed.

What is it called when a blue-ribbon committee selects judicial nominees who are then appointed by the governor and must finally run for retention in office?

In Texas, appellate court judges are elected, but trial judges are appointed by the governor to six-year terms.

According to the text, which of the following is not a reason that there are few minority judges in Texas?

What is the difference between civil and criminal law? How is this difference reflected in the standards by which one's case is judged?

The Texas constitution requires that the legal standard of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt be used only in cases involving the death penalty.

By 2011, in Dallas County

What is the particular problem in Texas judicial elections known as the "name game"?

The Texas Supreme Court has jurisdiction over the automatic appeals in all death penalty cases.

The federal Supreme Court has ruled that the Voting Rights Act applies to state judicial elections.

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