Question 1

A certiorari pool describes the

Accepted Answer

A)   computerized lottery system by which the Supreme Court selects its cases each year.
B)   practice by which Supreme Court law clerks work together to evaluate each petition.
C)   method used to appoint the chief justice.
D)   nickname for the water fountain in the courtyard of the Supreme Court building.
E)   pool of applicants seeking appointment to the federal judiciary.F) A) and B)
G) C) and D)

Question 2

The size of the U.S. Supreme Court is set by ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   the U.S. Constitution
B)   Congress
C)   a national convention
D)   the American Bar Association
E)   the presidentF) A) and B)
G) C) and D)

Question 3

Which of the following is the essence of the rule of law?

Accepted Answer

A)   Every state needs to have a written constitution.
B)   Every state must have an established system of common law.
C)   Every state needs to make its laws public.
D)   Every state must judge government officials by the same laws as its citizens are judged.
E)   Every state must follow federal law.F) A) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 4

About ________ percent of all cases in the United States are heard in state courts.

Accepted Answer

A)   33
B)   50
C)   66
D)   85
E)   99F) C) and D)
G) A) and C)

Question 5

The jurisdiction of each federal court is derived from ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   the Constitution and federal law
B)   the Supreme Court
C)   state laws
D)   state constitutions
E)   the presidentF) B) and D)
G) D) and E)

Question 6

What was the basis of Justice John Marshall's assertion that the federal courts have the power of judicial review?

Accepted Answer

A)   The Constitution grants the federal courts the power of judicial review.
B)   It is the duty of the federal judges to say what the law is; therefore, it is necessary for them to interpret and expound upon the law.
C)   Congress would have to ask the courts for permission to pass laws.
D)   The president should not be able to "get around" Congress by issuing executive orders on any issue he or she would like.
E)   The federal courts, since they are the least political branch of government, should have the power to review the actions of the political branches.F) D) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 7

The increase of administrative agencies since the New Deal has resulted in a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)   increased instance of Congress writing administrative rules.
B)   delegation of power by Congress to administrative agencies.
C)   strict nondelegation doctrine pronounced by the Supreme Court.
D)   increase in states making administrative law.
E)   increase in federal laws being challenged in the courts.F) B) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 8

Which of the following statements about the Supreme Court is true?

Accepted Answer

A)   The justices upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.
B)   The justices ruled that police are not allowed to attach a global-positioning device to a car belonging to a suspected drug dealer without first obtaining a valid warrant.
C)   The justices ruled that states cannot mandate a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for minors who are found guilty of homicide.
D)   The justices ruled that state legislatures could not ban corporate expenditures in support of or opposition to a political candidate or party.
E)   all of the aboveF) C) and E)
G) None of the above

Question 9

Each Supreme Court justice is assigned ________ law clerks.

Accepted Answer

A)   2
B)   4
C)   8
D)   10
E)   16F) B) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 10

Which of the following best describes the role of the solicitor general?

Accepted Answer

A)   The solicitor general is the chief legal counsel for the White House.
B)   The solicitor general is the lawyer who represents the United States before the Supreme Court in cases where the federal government is a party.
C)   The solicitor general is the chief lawyer for Congress who makes advisory opinions on the constitutionality of legislative proposals.
D)   The solicitor general is the head of the Department of Justice.
E)   The solicitor general is the chief legal counsel to the U.S. military.F) A) and D)
G) B) and E)

Question 11

Each of the following has been a method by which the federal courts have expanded their power EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)   liberalizing the concept of standing.
B)   broadening the scope of relief from individuals to entire groups.
C)   narrowing the discretionary authority of the president over foreign affairs and diplomacy.
D)   holding onto jurisdiction over a case until the court's decision has been carried out.
E)   taking a more active role in hearing cases that would generally be considered legislative matters.F) A) and B)
G) B) and C)

Question 12

Which of the following statements best describes the composition of the federal judiciary?

Accepted Answer

A)   There are an equal number of men and women and far fewer Latino Americans than African Americans.
B)   There are far fewer women than men and far fewer African Americans than Latino Americans.
C)   There are far fewer women than men and far fewer Latino Americans than African Americans.
D)   There are far fewer men than women and far fewer Latino Americans than African Americans.
E)   There are far fewer men than women and far fewer African Americans than Latino Americans.F) B) and D)
G) B) and E)

Question 13

In what type of law is the government always the plaintiff?

Accepted Answer

A)   public law
B)   criminal law
C)   civil law
D)   common law
E)   tort lawF) All of the above
G) B) and E)

Question 14

What is common law?

Accepted Answer

A)   another name for federal law
B)   law made by judges through their decisions, not through specific statutes
C)   law made by an administrative body
D)   law that is guided by the Constitution
E)   law passed by the U.S. CongressF) A) and B)
G) B) and D)

Question 15

Activist judges believe that federal judges should

Accepted Answer

A)   always overrule state legislatures and governors when making decisions.
B)   interpret the U.S. Constitution according to the intentions of its framers and defer to the views of Congress when interpreting federal statutes.
C)   be more aggressive and ideological than the president when vacancies occur on the courts.
D)   go beyond the words of a constitution or statute to consider the broader societal implications of their decisions.
E)   always defer judgment to precedents set by previous courts.F) B) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 16

Prisoners who are challenging their convictions are most likely to seek a writ of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   habeas corpus
B)   judicial error
C)   jurisdiction
D)   stare decisis
E)   challengeF) A) and E)
G) C) and D)

Question 17

Which of the following statements about the Supreme Court is true?

Accepted Answer

A)   In 2014, seven of the nine justices were appointed by Democratic presidents.
B)   In 2014, seven of the nine justices were appointed by Republican presidents.
C)   In 2014, all of the justices were appointed by Democratic presidents.
D)   In 2014, five of the nine justices were appointed by Republican presidents.
E)   none of the aboveF) B) and E)
G) B) and D)

Question 18

In Roe v. Wade (1973) , the Supreme Court was required to rule on the issue of ________, due to the fact that the pregnancy had already come to term.

Accepted Answer

A)   jurisdiction
B)   standing
C)   ripeness
D)   mootness
E)   stare decisisF) A) and B)
G) C) and D)

Question 19

Each year, the Supreme Court receives about ________ appeals and hears about ________ of them in full court.

Accepted Answer

A)   1,000; 500
B)   200; 10
C)   8,500; 80
D)   12,000; 300
E)   5,000; 100F) None of the above
G) All of the above

Question 20

Why is Marbury v. Madison an important case?

Accepted Answer

A)   In this case, the justices recognized the authority of Congress to regulate the economy of the United States.
B)   In this case, the justices nationalized the Bill of Rights.
C)   In this case, the justices authorized the Supreme Court to exercise judicial review over laws passed by Congress.
D)   In this case, the justices declared the secession of the Confederate states to be in violation of the Constitution.
E)   In this case, the justices declared that segregation of schools based on race is illegal.F) C) and D)
G) A) and E)

Exam 15: The Federal Courts

What was the basis of Justice John Marshall's assertion that the federal courts have the power of judicial review?

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About ________ percent of all cases in the United States are heard in state courts.

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Which of the following statements best describes the composition of the federal judiciary?

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Why is Marbury v. Madison an important case?

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The size of the U.S. Supreme Court is set by ________.

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A certiorari pool describes the

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What is common law?

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In what type of law is the government always the plaintiff?

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Activist judges believe that federal judges should

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Prisoners who are challenging their convictions are most likely to seek a writ of ________.

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Each year, the Supreme Court receives about ________ appeals and hears about ________ of them in full court.

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The jurisdiction of each federal court is derived from ________.

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Each of the following has been a method by which the federal courts have expanded their power EXCEPT

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The increase of administrative agencies since the New Deal has resulted in a(n)

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Which of the following best describes the role of the solicitor general?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements about the Supreme Court is true?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is the essence of the rule of law?

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Each Supreme Court justice is assigned ________ law clerks.

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In Roe v. Wade (1973) , the Supreme Court was required to rule on the issue of ________, due to the fact that the pregnancy had already come to term.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements about the Supreme Court is true?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Each year, the Supreme Court receives about appeals and hears about of them in full court.

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