READING CHECK || "How Do Cases Reach the Supreme Court?"

How many justices are there on the current, modern United States Supreme Court?

• 5
• 6
• 9
• 12

Which is the most common way for a case to make it to the Supreme Court?

• Appeals to "Courts of Appeals" Decisions
• Appeals from State Supreme Courts
• Under The Court's "Original Jurisdiction"

The US court system is designed so that most cases can be resolved before making it to the Supreme Court. Which detail from the article provides the BEST support to this statement?

• Unlike all lower courts, it gets to decide which cases it will hear. In fact, while around 8000 new cases are filed with the Supreme Court every year, only about 80 are actually heard and decided by the Court.
• This is because the US Constitution, the supreme law of the land in the United States, creates a federal system of government in which power is shared between the federal government and the state governments.
• In the US, there are 94 federal judicial districts. These are divided into 12 regional circuits, each of which has a court of appeals. The appeals courts decide whether or not lower trial courts applied the law correctly in their decisions.
• Today, the Supreme Court receives far more requests to hear a case than it ever did in the past. It receives from 7000-8000 new petitions for writ of certiorari per year.

"Certiorari" is a Latin word that means _____________.

• to inform
• to decide
• to appeal
• to vote

How MANY justices does it take to grant a "writ of certiorari"?

• 4
• 5
• 7
• 9

Can the US Supreme Court hear a case without first going through state courts or federal district court/federal court of appeals?

• Yes
• No

"If an appeal is not approved, the case is not heard. The ruling of the lower court then stands. This is what happens in most cases." Which word or phrase could replace "stands" WITHOUT changing the meaning of the sentence?

• changes
• disappears
• goes higher up
• stays the same

"In some rare instances, cases are heard directly by the Supreme Court without going through the appeals courts process. Such cases are considered to fall under the Court's original jurisdiction." What does the author mean by the phrase "fall under" as used in the previous sentence?

• be dropped or removed from
• be included or assigned within
• be persuaded or misled by
• be impressed or inspired to

How long is the term for a United States Supreme Court Justice?

• 4 years

• 8 years

• 12 years

• Lifetime

Which of the following is NOT a criterion for the Supreme Court to grant certiorari?

• The case involves a significant constitutional issue

• The case has conflicting decisions in lower courts

• The case is of great public interest

• The case involves a minor traffic violation