The Federal Courts and the Judicial Branch Chapter Test

How many justices does the Supreme Court have today?

• six

• seven

• eight

• nine

The written arguments of each side to an appeal are called

• complaints

• responses

• briefs

• petitions

What is a writ of certiorari?

• ruling from the Supreme Court

• order seeking review of a lower court case

• petition that initiates a lawsuit

• order to a district court to retry a case

Who holds the power to impeach a federal judge?

• legislature in the state where the judge serves

• Congress

• Department of Justice

• president

Which term refers to previous court rulings?

• precedent

• senatorial courtesy

• judicial review

• jurisdiction

Appeals from the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims reach the Supreme Court through the

• U.S. Courts of Appeal.

• district courts.

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Judicial independence is a cornerstone of the American judicial system because it safeguards the jobs of federal judges.

• True

• False

The Judiciary Act of 1789 set up the basic three-tiered federal court structure that is still in place today.

• True

• False

The Constitution requires all federal judges to be trained lawyers.

• True

• False

The most common way for a case to come before the Supreme Court is on appeal directly from one of the district courts.

• True

• False