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Judicial Branch Test

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 10mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The Supreme Court has the power to overturn laws and executive actions it deems unlawful or unconstitutional. This is an example of _____________________.

a)

an Executive Order

b)

Checks and Balances

c)

Unlimited Government

d)

Autocratic Government

2.

Which of these is a power of the judicial branch?

a)

Conduct foreign policy

b)

Create and pass tax laws

c)

Declare laws unconstitutional

d)

Appoint judges to Federal courts

3.

The authority to review decisions of lower courts is called _______________.

a)

Original jurisdiction

b)

Appellate jurisdiction

c)

exclusive jurisdiction

d)

Concurrent jurisdiction

4.

How many justices serve on the Supreme Court?

a)

5

b)

6

c)

9

d)

11

5.

This representation of Lady Justice shows a woman with a scale and a blindfold. How does this symbolize the American judicial system?

a)

The Judicial System should include more female members

b)

Judges are meant to weigh cases and be blind to persons.

c)

The picture suggests that the judicial system is ignorant.

d)

Judges are not capable of performing more than one action.

6.

What is a key difference between a criminal case and a civil case?

a)

The outcome of a civil case cannot be decided by a jury

b)

The outcome of a criminal case cannot be decided by a judge

c)

The burden of proof in a criminal case rests with the defendant

d)

Criminal cases are when the defendant is accused of a crime. Where civil cases, the defendant had their rights violated.

7.

How can Congress check the power of the supreme court?

a)

Congress can veto court rulings

b)

Congress may impeach and remove Court judges

c)

Congress can nominate new judges to the Court.

d)

Congress may declare Court rulings unconstitutional.

8.

The U.S. Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson, (1896) determined that segregation was acceptable under the condition that_____________________.

a)

all children receive permission to attend the same school

b)

white receive higher quality facilities and services than blacks

c)

the segregation laws did not spread outside of the southern states

d)

the separate facilities or services for both races be of equal quality

9.

In the Supreme Court decision Marbury v. Madison, _____________________________.

a)

the taxing power of states was limited

b)

the power of "judicial review" was established.

c)

the rights of corporations were clearly outlined.

d)

the Supreme Court expanded the meaning of eminent domain.

10.

How did the Gideon v Wainwright case strengthen the rights of persons accused of crimes?

a)

states only had to provide lawyers in capital cases

b)

suspects were entitled to food and drinks when questioned

c)

suspects were informed of their rights at the time of their arrest

d)

States had to provide lawyers to defendants who could not afford their own.

11.

Television shows and law enforcement movies have served as informal means of educating U.S. citizens about WHICH legal issue related to the criminal justice system?

a)

the bill of rights

b)

the Miranda decision

c)

the writ of habeas corpus

d)

the concept stare decisis

12.

Which is the BEST description of the Supreme Court's ruling in Bush v. Gore?

a)

The Court declared George Bush the winner of the 2000 election because he received more popular votes than Al Gore.

b)

The Court held that Al Gore should have been elected President because he received more popular votes than George Bush.

c)

The Court ruled that a manual recount of all votes from the District of Columbia would have to take place before the election could be certified.

d)

The Court ruled that election recounts in Florida were being conducted in a manner that violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, and therefore had to stop.

13.

What was the result of the Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson?

a)

"Black Codes" were ruled to be unconstitutional.

b)

It permitted the placing of Indians onto reservations.

c)

The doctrine of "separate but equal" was allowed to continue.

d)

It said that children of all races could attend the same schools.

14.

What is the MAIN responsibility of the judicial branch?

a)

to print money

b)

to interpret laws

c)

to elect the president

d)

to create the military

15.

According to the Constitution who has the power to judge a case between citizens of two different states?

a)

congress

b)

president

c)

state court

d)

supreme court

16.

Which BEST explains how the Supreme Court ”checks” the power of Congress?

a)

by vetoing, or saying "no" to a law

b)

by passing a bill and making it law

c)

by comparing the law to the Constitution

d)

by ignoring a veto and signing a bill into law

17.

Which of these cases would be heard in a civil court?

a)

a case involving the vandalism of public property

b)

a case of unlawful entry onto the property of another person

c)

a case of theft involving property under four hundred dollars

d)

a case of a person suing their workplace for not giving them a religious holiday off

18.

The “Rule of Law” states that ____________________.

a)

there should be no barriers to the right to vote.

b)

a just government derives its power from the governed.

c)

all people, including those who govern, must obey the law.

d)

a country’s citizens are the source of the government's power.

19.

If a state law is in conflict with a national law, a state judge must __________________________.

a)

uphold the state law

b)

uphold the Constitutional law

c)

refer the matter to a federal court

d)

refer the matter to a municipal court

20.

What is the job of the court of appeals?

a)

hears the case for the first time

b)

reviews the trial court decision for errors

c)

reviews laws for constitutionality

d)

picking the justices for the Supreme Court