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SSCG13 - The Judicial Branch

Total questions: 38

Worksheet time: 22mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
What is the difference between original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction?
a)
Original jurisdiction refers to a case being heard in a federal court; appellate jurisdiction refers to a case being heard in a State court.
b)
Original jurisdiction refers to criminal or civil cases; appellate jurisdiction refers to only to civil cases.
c)
Original jurisdiction refers to a case that could be heard in a federal or a State court; appellate jurisdiction refers to a case that must be heard in a federal court.
d)
Original jurisdiction refers to a court where a case is first heard; appellate jurisdiction refers to a case being heard after it was tried in a lower court.
2.
How are federal judges selected?
a)
The person is named to the bench by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
b)
The person is named to the bench by the President and does not need to be confirmed.
c)
The person is publicly elected to the bench and confirmed by the Senate.
d)
The person is nominated by the Senate and chosen by the President.
3.

When a case is appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, the court can do which of the following?

a)

Veto the appeal

b)

Send the case to Congress to decide on the legality of the law involved

c)

Send the case back to the lower court for reconsideration

d)

Pass the case on to a higher court

4.
What conclusion could be drawn  considering only about 1% of the cases applied to the Supreme court are actually taken.
a)
The Supreme Court accepts almost all of the cases that are brought to it.
b)
The Supreme Court deals only with cases involving constitutionality.
c)
Many cases are appealed to the Supreme Court, but it could only deal with a few of them.
d)
The Supreme Court used three different methods with which to rule upon a case.
5.
When a Supreme Court justice agrees with the decision reached by the Court in a case, but not with the reasons why the Court made that decision, he or she may choose to write a
a)
concurring opinion.
b)
dissenting opinion.
c)
majority opinion.
d)
unanimous opinion.
6.
What is a possible avenue through which some cases have reached the Supreme Court?
a)
Congress asks the Court to review a proposed or recently passed law to see if it is constitutional.
b)
A State holds a convention in which the public votes to have a case sent to the Court for review.
c)
The Court decides to review one of its own earlier cases in order to change or modify its ruling.
d)
The Court issues a writ of certiorari instructing a lower court to send it a case to review.
7.

This is the local, state, or federal court that is the first to hear a civil or criminal case. This involves hearing arguments from both sides, and sometimes involves a jury.

a)

Appellate Court

b)

Trial Court

c)

Supreme Court

d)

Court Marshall

8.

This kind of court case relates to the rights of citizens

a)

Trial

b)

Criminal

c)

Civil

d)

Supreme

9.

The only court created by the Constitution is the

a)

Federal Court

b)

Supreme Court

c)

State Court

d)

Criminal Court

10.

How many justices serve on the Supreme Court?

a)

9

b)

7

c)

11

d)

13

11.

In a _________________ case you are determining if someone is guilty or innocent.

a)

Constitutional Case

b)

Criminal Case

c)

Civil Case

d)

Trial Case

12.

The power of deciding what is constitutional is called---

a)

Court of Appeals

b)

Constitutional Court

c)

Judicial Review

d)

State Court

13.

How long can you remain a Supreme Court Justice once you are appointed and approved?

a)

10 years

b)

6 years

c)

until you are re-elected

d)

until you resign or die

14.
Court with only original jurisdiction
a)
Supreme
b)
Appeal
c)
District
15.
Only US court with a Jury
a)
Supreme
b)
Appeal
c)
District
16.
The Court of Final appeal in the US is
a)
Supreme
b)
Appeals
c)
District
d)
Circuit
17.

The outcome a court case is called:

a)

Verdict

b)

Judicial Review

c)

Precedent

d)

Brief

18.

How many justices must vote in order for a case to be heard by the Supreme Court?

a)

8/9

b)

5/9

c)

4/9

d)

9/9

19.

After the President nominates a person for the Supreme Court, which legislative body must approve?

a)

Senate

b)

House of Representatives

c)

Cabinet

d)

State Legislatures

20.

Justices who take into consideration the ongoing changes in conditions and values in American society while interpreting the Constitution and laws are said to have which judicial philosophy?

a)

Restraint

b)

Activism

c)

Sedition

d)

Jurisdiction

21.
How many kinds of federal courts are there?
a)
1
b)
3
c)
5
22.
What is the main purpose of the Judicial Branch of Government?
a)
to make laws
b)
to enforce laws
c)
to interpret laws
d)
to break laws
23.

Why did the Constitution provide for two separate court systems?

a)

to keep the federal court system from being overwhelmed

b)

to establish the federal court system as having more power than State courts

c)

to maintain a balance of power between the Federal Government and the States

d)

to strengthen the balance of power between the three branches of Federal Government

24.

What is the opinion of the Supreme Court justices who make up the minority?

a)

Majority Opinion

b)

Concurring Opinion

c)

Unanimous Decision

d)

Dissenting Opinion

25.

Which article of the Constitution provides for the creation of the Supreme Court and the judicial branch?

a)

Article I

b)

Article II

c)

Article III

d)

Article IV

26.

The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the

a)

Supreme Court

b)

District Court System

c)

Federal Court System

d)

State Court System

27.
According to Federal law, every State is guaranteed to have 
a)
2 District Courts
b)
1 District Court
c)
3 District Courts
d)
a Court of Appeals
28.

How many District Courts are there?

a)

50

b)

74

c)

82

d)

94

29.

Including the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, how many regional circuit courts are there?

a)

9

b)

11

c)

12

d)

13

30.
Federal District courts were originally set up by:
a)
State Governments 
b)
Article III of the Constitution 
c)
Congress
d)
1st President (George Washington) 
31.

Who was James Madison and why did Marbury bring a case against him?

a)

Secretary of State under Jefferson who was told not to deliver Marbury's commission as a new federal judge

b)

Vice President under Adams and Marbury was mad because he wanted to be Vice President

c)

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who announced that Marbury didn't have the right to receive his commission

32.

The Supreme Court's decision in the Marbury case was that while Marbury did have the right to his commission, the Supreme Court felt that

a)

they had the obligation to enforce the Judiciary Act of 1789

b)

they had the right to decide that he wasn't the right person for the job

c)

they didn't have the right to issue the writ of mandamus to actually rule in his favor

33.

The outcome of Marbury v Madison led the Supreme Court to declare that the Judiciary Act of 1789 was _______ (meaning it violates the Constitution and is therefore not permitted)

a)

undemocratic

b)

unconstitutional

c)

unjust

34.

The Marbury v. Madison ruling marked the first time that

a)

the Supreme Court ever met to discuss a case

b)

the Supreme Court couldn't decide how to rule on a case

c)

the Supreme Court struck down an act of Congress for being unconstitutional

35.

The Marbury v. Madison ruling is considered a landmark (important) case because it established the power of judicial review meaning that

a)

the Supreme Court can interpret the Constitution and decide what it means

b)

the Supreme Court can decide who gets federal commissions and who doesn't

c)

the Supreme Court can fire federal judges

36.

A brief presented by someone interested in influencing the outcome of a Supreme Court case - Latin for "friend of the court"

a)

Stare Decisis

b)

Precedent

c)

Amicus Curiae

d)

Appeal

37.

Which of the following IS NOT a way in which the Supreme Court can be checked or balanced?

a)

Having Justices be selected by the other two branches

b)

State Supreme Courts can vote to override a Supreme Court ruling

c)

Justices can be impeached

d)

The legislative branch can refuse to pass funding to enforce a ruling

38.

Which of the following IS NOT a way in which a Supreme Court ruling can be overturned?

a)

The President can veto a Supreme Court Ruling, like Bush did in 2004

b)

The Supreme Court can reverse its own rulings, like it did in Brown v Board of Education

c)

A constitutional amendment can be passed, like the 13th Amendment