Question 1

Which of the following best describes the impact of precedent in Supreme Court decisions?

Accepted Answer

A)   It cannot be contradicted by a new case.
B)   It is a norm that constrains the behavior of the Court.
C)   It creates a detailed codification of laws that can be applied to any case.
D)   It establishes rules that must be followed to the letter.
E)   It forms the sole foundation and philosophical underpinning for all rulings.F) A) and D)
G) B) and C)

Question 2

The most direct action the Supreme Court can take to gain compliance with its decisions is to:

Accepted Answer

A)   force Congress to cooperate by striking down as many of its laws as possible
B)   issue narrowly written opinions on visible cases
C)   appeal to the public for support in getting the rest of the government to cooperate
D)   write broad and vague opinions that give other actors a "way out" if they do not want to cooperate for political reasons
E)   issue an order directing the president to act or face military arrestF) B) and D)
G) A) and C)

Question 3

The election of state judges may make courts more ________,though it potentially undercuts their role in ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   responsive to special interests; looking after the public
B)   responsive to public opinion; protecting minority rights
C)   representative of different minority groups; standing up for unpopular rights
D)   political; being fair
E)   democratic; being nonpartisanF) B) and D)
G) A) and B)

Question 4

Those cases heard by the Supreme Court under its appellate jurisdiction arrive there because:

Accepted Answer

A)   they involve foreign ambassadors and nations
B)   the Court has been asked to issue a writ of certification and to clarify a case for a lower appeals court
C)   a litigant who lost in a lower appellate court has convinced the justices to hear the case
D)   Congress has identified the case as being so important that the Supreme Court must hear it
E)   the solicitor general has determined it worthy of a hearing in the Supreme CourtF) B) and C)
G) None of the above D

Question 5

How involved do you think the Supreme Court should be in protecting minority rights? First compare and contrast judicial activism and judicial restraint.Then,drawing on your knowledge of American government,justify your position.

Accepted Answer

Judicial activism and judicial restraint...

Question 6

There are no witnesses,and there is no testimony in the Supreme Court because of the way in which the Constitution describes its appellate jurisdiction.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

The term senatorial courtesy refers to:

Accepted Answer

A)   the Senate deferring to the president in making appointments to the Supreme Court
B)   the Senate focusing on merit criteria in the appointment process
C)   the president deferring to members of the president's party from each state in choosing nominees to district courts
D)   the president focusing on the political preferences of the Senate in selecting Supreme Court nominees
E)   the tradition of the president providing the names of all judicial nominees to the Senate majority leader first before announcing the nominations publiclyF) All of the above
G) None of the above

Question 8

The group of cases submitted to the Supreme Court for its consideration is called its:

Accepted Answer

A)   appellate jurisdiction
B)   docket
C)   original jurisdiction
D)   in forma pauperis
E)   certiorariF) A) and D)
G) A) and C)

Question 9

The strategic model of Supreme Court decision making emphasizes:

Accepted Answer

A)   the political views of individual Supreme Court justices
B)   how the justices account for the views of other justices when deciding how to act
C)   the need for activist judges if the Court will be an important political institution
D)   the role of the Constitution and how it is interpreted
E)   how the justices strategically interpret the Constitution to fit their political ideologiesF) B) and E)
G) D) and E)

Question 10

The federal government and most of the states operate under a system of common law.Define this term as well as the notion of precedent.What role does precedent play in judicial decision making? And,most importantly,how does this type of system create opportunities for the judicial system to be a political institution?

Accepted Answer

Common law is a legal system in which co...

Question 11

Which of the following describes the view that Supreme Court justices must be active in protecting minority rights,even when it creates conflict with the other branches of government?

Accepted Answer

A)   strict constructionism
B)   the strategic model
C)   judicial activism
D)   the attitudinal approach
E)   the affirmative action modelF) A) and E)
G) None of the above

Question 12

What is the role of partisanship and politics in nominations to the federal judiciary? Does knowing a judge's partisanship tell us very much about how the judge will behave on the bench? Use appropriate examples from the text to illustrate your answers.Do you think the process is too political? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

Partisanship and politics play a signifi...

Question 13

After asserting the power of judicial review,the Supreme Court's ability to rule on the constitutionality of state laws:

Accepted Answer

A)   was based on the supremacy clause of the Constitution
B)   came solely from the Judiciary Act of 1789
C)   was established by the ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford
D)   was debatable until after the civil rights movement
E)   was based on a combination of the supremacy clause and the Judiciary Act of 1789F) B) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 14

The Constitution provides ________ about the requirements for federal judicial service than it does for serving as president or in Congress.

Accepted Answer

A)   more detail
B)   the same amount of detail
C)   less detail
D)   no detail
E)   less detail in some areas, but more detail in other areasF) A) and B)
G) B) and C) C

Question 15

An opinion written by a Supreme Court justice who agrees with a case but does not agree with its legal logic is called a:

Accepted Answer

A)   concurring opinion
B)   plurality opinion
C)   dissenting opinion
D)   per curiam opinion
E)   voir direF) A) and D)
G) C) and D)

Question 16

Supporters of a living Constitution argue that other legal perspectives do not allow the legal system to adapt in response to changes in technology,values,and society that could not have been anticipated by America's Founders.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Which of the following describes a writ of mandamus?

Accepted Answer

A)   the ability to rule on the constitutionality of statutes
B)   the original jurisdiction of courts
C)   the right to keep people in prison indefinitely without notifying them of the charges
D)   an order issued by the Supreme Court to initiate impeachment proceedings against a federal official
E)   an order issued by a higher court to a lower court, government official, or government agency to perform acts required by lawF) B) and C)
G) A) and E)

Question 18

Many criminal and civil cases are settled without a trial through plea bargaining.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 19

Although many politicians and citizens are skeptical of judicial activism,these concerns are overstated because:

Accepted Answer

A)   the Court is not powerful enough to significantly influence national policy
B)   such criticism depends on the specific actions the Court takes, such that both liberals and conservatives are sometimes happy and sometimes angry about Court action
C)   judicial activism has done little to change the country or American society
D)   judicial activism has been thoroughly discredited, and there are few if any judicial activists left
E)   a new president can always replace federal judgesF) A) and D)
G) All of the above

Question 20

Any unsigned opinion submitted by the entire Supreme Court is called a:

Accepted Answer

A)   concurring opinion
B)   plurality opinion
C)   majority opinion
D)   per curiam opinion
E)   voir direF) A) and B)
G) A) and D)

Exam 12: The Courts

Which of the following best describes the impact of precedent in Supreme Court decisions?

Correct Answer
verified

The most direct action the Supreme Court can take to gain compliance with its decisions is to:

Correct Answer
verified

The election of state judges may make courts more ,though it potentially undercuts their role in .

Correct Answer
verified

Those cases heard by the Supreme Court under its appellate jurisdiction arrive there because:

Correct Answer
verified
D

How involved do you think the Supreme Court should be in protecting minority rights? First compare and contrast judicial activism and judicial restraint.Then,drawing on your knowledge of American government,justify your position.

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Judicial activism and judicial restraint...
View Answer

There are no witnesses,and there is no testimony in the Supreme Court because of the way in which the Constitution describes its appellate jurisdiction.

Correct Answer
verified

The term senatorial courtesy refers to:

Correct Answer
verified

The group of cases submitted to the Supreme Court for its consideration is called its:

Correct Answer
verified

The strategic model of Supreme Court decision making emphasizes:

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Common law is a legal system in which co...
View Answer

Which of the following describes the view that Supreme Court justices must be active in protecting minority rights,even when it creates conflict with the other branches of government?

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Partisanship and politics play a signifi...
View Answer

After asserting the power of judicial review,the Supreme Court's ability to rule on the constitutionality of state laws:

Correct Answer
verified

The Constitution provides ________ about the requirements for federal judicial service than it does for serving as president or in Congress.

Correct Answer
verified
C

An opinion written by a Supreme Court justice who agrees with a case but does not agree with its legal logic is called a:

Correct Answer
verified

Supporters of a living Constitution argue that other legal perspectives do not allow the legal system to adapt in response to changes in technology,values,and society that could not have been anticipated by America's Founders.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following describes a writ of mandamus?

Correct Answer
verified

Many criminal and civil cases are settled without a trial through plea bargaining.

Correct Answer
verified
True

Although many politicians and citizens are skeptical of judicial activism,these concerns are overstated because:

Correct Answer
verified

Any unsigned opinion submitted by the entire Supreme Court is called a:

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 12: The Courts

Which of the following best describes the impact of precedent in Supreme Court decisions?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The most direct action the Supreme Court can take to gain compliance with its decisions is to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The election of state judges may make courts more ________,though it potentially undercuts their role in ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Those cases heard by the Supreme Court under its appellate jurisdiction arrive there because:

Correct AnswerverifiedD

How involved do you think the Supreme Court should be in protecting minority rights? First compare and contrast judicial activism and judicial restraint.Then,drawing on your knowledge of American government,justify your position.

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIJudicial activism and judicial restraint...View AnswerShow Answer

There are no witnesses,and there is no testimony in the Supreme Court because of the way in which the Constitution describes its appellate jurisdiction.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The term senatorial courtesy refers to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The group of cases submitted to the Supreme Court for its consideration is called its:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The strategic model of Supreme Court decision making emphasizes:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AICommon law is a legal system in which co...View AnswerShow Answer

Which of the following describes the view that Supreme Court justices must be active in protecting minority rights,even when it creates conflict with the other branches of government?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIPartisanship and politics play a signifi...View AnswerShow Answer

After asserting the power of judicial review,the Supreme Court's ability to rule on the constitutionality of state laws:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Constitution provides ________ about the requirements for federal judicial service than it does for serving as president or in Congress.

Correct AnswerverifiedC

An opinion written by a Supreme Court justice who agrees with a case but does not agree with its legal logic is called a:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Supporters of a living Constitution argue that other legal perspectives do not allow the legal system to adapt in response to changes in technology,values,and society that could not have been anticipated by America's Founders.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following describes a writ of mandamus?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Many criminal and civil cases are settled without a trial through plea bargaining.

Correct AnswerverifiedTrue

Although many politicians and citizens are skeptical of judicial activism,these concerns are overstated because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Any unsigned opinion submitted by the entire Supreme Court is called a:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

The election of state judges may make courts more ,though it potentially undercuts their role in .

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
D

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Judicial activism and judicial restraint...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Common law is a legal system in which co...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Partisanship and politics play a signifi...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
C

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
True

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified