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Worksheets

The Federal Judiciary

Total questions: 27

Worksheet time: 9mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What type of structure and legal system characterizes the U.S. legal system?

a)

The U.S legal system is a single court system

b)

The U.S legal system is a three-tier dual court system

c)

The U.S legal system is a two-tier single court system

d)

None of the above

2.

What is an amicus brief?

a)

A federal court order to attorneys to provide a summary of their arguments for a case before the case formally begins

b)

A federal court case that comes to an abrupt end because the justices outright reject its premises.

c)

A written document submitted by interest groups to influence an appellate court ruling

d)

All the above

3.

There are how many federal district courts?

a)

50

b)

100

c)

94

d)

13

4.

There are how many U.S. circuit courts of appeal?

a)

50

b)

100

c)

94

d)

13

5.

When the Supreme Court receives a case from a lower court to review, it is exercising what power?

a)

Judicial review

b)

Appellate jurisdiction

c)

Federal question

d)

None of the above

6.

What is a writ?

a)

A court ruling

b)

A litigant’s plea

c)

A court order

d)

None of the above

7.

What position did King William create to begin establishing his legal system?

a)

Lord Chancellor

b)

Prime Minister

c)

Lord Minister

d)

All the above

8.

What was the Doomsday Book?

a)

A book of commentaries authored by Sir William Blackstone

b)

A book of original case law rules

c)

A book of original common law

d)

A census of the people in King William’s new land

9.

What is ancient legal basis for precedents?

a)

The Greek amicus curiae

b)

The Roman stare decisis

c)

The Babylonian Hammurabi

d)

None of the above

10.

What is the rule of four?

a)

t only takes four justices to reject a case for review

b)

It only takes four justices to agree to allow a case for review

c)

The court will only hear a case four times

d)

The court stops everyday at four o clock for tea

11.

Where are cases first heard in the state court system?

a)

In the appellate courts

b)

In the summary courts

c)

In the original courts

d)

All the above

12.

What is the name of the court order given by the Supreme Court to a lower court to send the lower court’s case up to the Supreme Court for review?

a)

A writ of mandamus

b)

A writ of certiorari

c)

A writ of injunction

d)

A writ of stare decisis

13.

Where do cases begin in the federal court system?

a)

Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal

b)

Federal District Courts

c)

Original Courts

d)

None of the above

14.

How long are terms of office for federal judges?

a)

4 years

b)

For life

c)

6 years with 1/3 of the judges up for reappointment every 2 years

d)

10 years

15.

Which body of law is punitive and compensatory?

a)

Criminal law

b)

Civil law

c)

Common law

d)

None of the above

16.

Which body of law is typically the state v an individual, and the burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence?

a)

Criminal law

b)

Civil law

c)

Common law

d)

None of the above

17.

Which court make rulings that are adjudicated?

a)

Civil court

b)

Court of Public Opinion

c)

Criminal court

d)

All the above

18.

What is judicial review?

a)

Judicial review is the power of federal courts to rule an act of a government official as unconstitutional

b)

Judicial review is the power of the federal courts to rule an act of a government organization, or law as unconstitutional

c)

Judicial review is the power of the federal courts to nullify decisions and actions of other government institutions

d)

All the above

19.

What congressional act created the design for the federal court system?

a)

The Judicial Act of 1789

b)

The Marbury Act of 1803

c)

The Federal Court Act of 1896

d)

None of the above

20.

What case established judicial review?

a)

Marlboro v Madison 1800

b)

Marbury v Madison 1803

c)

Marlboro v Wisconsin 1789

d)

None of the above

21.

What term describes the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction over disputes between states, or state versus national government cases?

a)

Judicial review questions

b)

Constitutional questions

c)

Federal questions

d)

All of the above

22.

What are the qualifications for Supreme Court judges?

a)

There are none

b)

Must be 45 years old and have 10 years of experience as a state judge

c)

Must be 45 and have a law degree

d)

Must have trial lawyer experience and PH.D in Law

23.

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

a)

12

b)

7

c)

9

d)

13

24.

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

a)

3

b)

5

c)

13

d)

9

25.

What is a Supreme Court concurring opinion?

a)

When a Federal circuit court agrees with a Federal district court’s decision

b)

When a District court disagrees with a Federal circuit court’s decision

c)

When a Supreme Court justice(s) agrees with the final ruling of the court but for different reasons

d)

When the president disagrees with the courts final ruling

26.

What is a plurality ruling?

a)

When the Supreme Court ruling is 7-2

b)

When the Supreme Court’s ruling results in a split decision, like 5-4

c)

When the Supreme Court decision is unanimous

d)

None of the above

27.

Who, typically, writes the majority opinion in a Supreme Court case?

a)

The Supreme Court's chief law clerk

b)

The chief justice

c)

The oldest justice

d)

None of the above