Question 1

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.

Question 2

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

Question 3

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.

Question 4

How many justices currently serve on the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

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.

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

Question 7

Each Supreme Court justice is assigned ________ law clerks.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 8

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

Question 9

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.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 11

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.

Question 12

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.

Question 13

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.

Question 14

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

Question 15

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.

Question 16

________ 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

Question 17

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."

Question 18

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.

Question 19

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

Question 20

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.

Exam 15: The Federal Courts

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

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A writ of habeas corpus declares that

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

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

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How many justices currently serve on the Supreme Court?

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

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

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

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

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

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In recent years, federal court appointments have

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

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Each Supreme Court justice is assigned ________ law clerks.

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

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

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

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

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What is common law?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

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