3.9 Judicial Branch Review

The flow chart below depicts the organization of the federal court system. Which court completes the diagram?

• US Circuit Court

• Florida District Court

• US Circuit Court of Appeals

• US District Court of Appeals

Answer explanation

The US District Court of Appeals is the correct choice as it fits the federal court system hierarchy, serving as an appellate court for decisions made by the US District Courts.

How does an appellate court differ from a trial court?

• An appellate court usually has a jury.

• An appellate court decides issues of fact.

• An appellate court examines more witnesses.

• An appellate court reviews another court’s decision.

Answer explanation

An appellate court reviews another court’s decision, focusing on legal errors rather than facts or witness testimony, which distinguishes it from a trial court that handles the initial presentation of evidence.

What is the correct order of Florida’s courts, from lowest to highest authority?

• Circuit courts, Florida Supreme Court, county courts, District Court of Appeals

• County courts, circuit courts, District Court of Appeals, Florida Supreme Court

• Florida Supreme Court, circuit courts, District Court of Appeals, county courts

• Florida Supreme Court, circuit courts, District Court of Appeals, county courts

Answer explanation

The correct order of Florida's courts from lowest to highest authority is county courts, circuit courts, District Court of Appeals, and finally the Florida Supreme Court.

Which are the only federal courts to have juries?

• U.S. District Courts

• U.S. Supreme Court

• U.S. Courts of Appeals

• U.S. District Courts of Appeals

Answer explanation

The U.S. District Courts are the only federal courts that utilize juries for trials, as they handle most federal cases, including civil and criminal matters. The other courts listed do not have jury trials.

What is it called when the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether something is legal or illegal (unconstitutional)?

• supreme court review

• due process

• segregation

• judicial review

Answer explanation

The process by which the U.S. Supreme Court determines the legality or constitutionality of laws is called judicial review. This allows the Court to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution.

Established the Supreme Courts power of “Judicial Review” to see if laws are Constitutional / Unconstitutional. (Judicial Branch interprets the laws)

• Marbury v Madison

• Hazelwood v Kuhlmeier

• In Re Gault

• District of Columbia v Heller

Answer explanation

The case Marbury v Madison established the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review, allowing it to determine the constitutionality of laws, which is a key function of the Judicial Branch.

How long does a Supreme Court Justice get to be on the Supreme Court?

• They can serve two terms of four years each, for a total of 8 years

• There are no term limits; they can serve for life

• They serve until the President decides he wants to put someone else on the Supreme Court, then they must leave the job.

Answer explanation

Supreme Court Justices serve for life, as there are no term limits. This allows them to remain in their position until they choose to retire, resign, or are removed through impeachment.

Which word is not related to the U.S. court system?

• verdict

• proposal

• jurisdiction

• writ of certiori

Answer explanation

The word 'proposal' is not related to the U.S. court system, while 'verdict', 'jurisdiction', and 'writ of certiorari' are all legal terms associated with court proceedings.

Jo wanted to appeal his guilty verdict in a criminal case to the state supreme court. He was working through the appellate process to hopefully get a better judgment. If he lost his appeal he could go to prison for up to 20 years, but he believed that his case had not been handled correctly by the police and the prosecutors. In this scenario, the words appeal and appellate are related. What is the relationship between appeal and appellate based on this scenario?

• They are both describe parts of the executive process of government.

• They are both describe Jo's emotions as he goes through the trial process.

• They both refer to a process to get a different outcome from a trial or court decision.

• They both refer to how Jo looks and how much other people want to be around him.

Answer explanation

In this scenario, both 'appeal' and 'appellate' refer to the process Jo is engaging in to seek a different outcome from his guilty verdict, highlighting the legal mechanism to challenge a court decision.

What is a good synonym for opinion when discussing our legal system?

• bias

• idea

• thought

• decision

Answer explanation

In the context of the legal system, 'decision' is a strong synonym for 'opinion' as it refers to a conclusion reached by a judge or court, reflecting their judgment on a case, whereas the other options do not convey this legal specificity.