14.3 - Selecting Supreme Court Justices

What is the term length served by Supreme Court justices?

• 4 years

• 6 years

• 8 years

• lifetime

Why is the political popularity and power of the president an important factor in the nomination process?

• Candidates are less likely to turn down a request to be a nominee from a strong president.

• A popular president can appoint a justice without the consent of the Senate because of strong public support.

• A politically popular and powerful president can rally public support behind a nominee.

• A popular president is more likely to nominate a strongly qualified candidate.

How can a Supreme Court justice be removed from the Court after being appointed?

• Justices can be removed by a petition approved by a majority of state legislatures.

• Justices cannot be removed from the Court.

• The president can remove a justice from the Court with the consent of the Senate.

• Congress can remove a justice through impeachment.

What does the term representativeness refer to in the selection of justice nominees?

• It refers to a candidate having worked with or served in the House of Representatives.

• It refers to how well the candidate will uphold the political values of the president.

• It refers to selecting candidates to have a group of justices that somewhat represents American society.

• It refers to selecting candidates to equally represent major law school across the country.

What role does the Senate Judiciary Committee serve in the confirmation process?

• A unanimous vote to approve the candidate in the committee makes a full Senate vote unnecessary.

• The committee holds public hearings with the candidate and recommends if the candidate should be confirmed by the Senate.

• The committee compiles the list of potential nominees from which the president can choose.

• The committee works with the White House to help candidates become confirmed by the full Senate.

Why do interest groups lobby the president and senators regarding Supreme Court nominees?

• They want a justice that will side with their cause placed on the Court.

• They want to coordinate with the president to promote the nomination of the candidate.

• They want to know who the nominee will be before a public announcement is made.

• They want to plan fundraising events around the nomination of a candidate.

What does judicial temperament mean?

• It means not having rulings overturned on appeal.

• It means being open minded, courteous, and patient.

• It means being able to make quick decisions on cases.

• It means having the support of both major parties.

What are the constitutional requirements to become a Supreme Court justice?

• receive the nomination of the president and consent of the Senate

• be a natural-born citizen of the United States

• hold a degree in law

• be at least 35 years old

How many votes are required for a nominee to receive consent in the Senate?

• 60 votes

• a majority

• 75 votes

• unanimous consent

What is an advantage of nominating a candidate with a long public record of deciding cases?

• It makes it easier for the nominee to achieve the consent of the Senate.

• Older candidates more easily receive consent of the Senate than younger candidates.

• Candidates who have spent less time in private practice are more qualified to serve as a Supreme Court justice.

• It makes it easier for the president to determine if the candidate's ideological perspective is similar to his or her own.