Question 1

There are ________ federal district courts.

Accepted Answer

A)  2
B)  13
C)  50
D)  94
E)  435F) C) and D)
G) B) and C)

Question 2

About ________ percent of the cases heard by federal appeals courts are later reviewed by the Supreme Court.

Accepted Answer

A)  1
B)  10
C)  25
D)  33
E)  50F) A) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 3

Although federal district courts are theoretically bound by Supreme Court precedents,they sometimes deviate because

Accepted Answer

A)  the facts of a case are seldom precisely the same as those of similar cases decided by the Supreme Court.
B)  federal judges may misunderstand the Court's judicial reasoning or position.
C)  ambiguities or unaddressed issues in Supreme Court rulings give lower courts some flexibility in deciding cases.
D)  of all these factors: The facts of a case are seldom precisely the same as those of similar cases decided by the Supreme Court; federal judges may misunderstand the Court's judicial reasoning or position; and ambiguities or unaddressed issues in the Court's rulings give lower courts some flexibility in deciding cases.
E)  None of these answers is correct.F) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 4

The laws applicable to a case

Accepted Answer

A)  reveal the relevant circumstances of the case,and are determined solely by trial courts.
B)  are more important than the facts of a case,and supersede the facts when the two conflict.
C)  constrain the judiciary,because court decisions must be based on applicable laws.
D)  apply only in the area of criminal cases and not in the area of civil disputes.
E)  None of these answers is correct.F) None of the above
G) A) and D)

Question 5

The long-serving chief justice that established the principle of judicial review was

Accepted Answer

A)  Charles Evans Hughes.
B)  Hugo Black.
C)  Clarence Thomas.
D)  John Marshall.
E)  Benjamin Cardozo.F) A) and D)
G) B) and D)

Question 6

A writ of certiorari is

Accepted Answer

A)  a request to a lower court to submit to the Supreme Court a record of the case it has been requested to hear.
B)  the statement explaining the reasoning behind a Supreme Court decision.
C)  the official transcript of Supreme Court proceedings.
D)  a statement from a group not directly involved in a Supreme Court case,indicating the group's opinion on the legal issue at hand.
E)  an application for a waiver of court fees due to indigence.F) A) and B)
G) A) and E)

Question 7

Over the last fifteen or so years,the Supreme Court can BEST be said to be practicing judicial

Accepted Answer

A)  activism.
B)  liberalism.
C)  restraint.
D)  socialism.
E)  relativism.F) B) and C)
G) A) and E)

Question 8

Of the thirteen U.S.courts of appeals,

Accepted Answer

A)  all thirteen are assigned geographically to groups of states to deal with disputes over state laws.
B)  one is devoted to issues involving military tribunals and the District of Columbia.
C)  five have jurisdiction over disputes involving foreign territories or countries and the District of Columbia.
D)  eleven have jurisdiction over a "circuit" comprised of the district courts in anywhere from three to five states.
E)  three are devoted to dealing with disputes involving the overlapping contradiction between state and federal laws.F) D) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 9

Compared to Supreme Court nominations,those for the lower federal courts

Accepted Answer

A)  are,although much greater in number,irrelevant to a president's policy agenda.
B)  are not subject to partisan consideration.
C)  have typically involved nominees who held elective office,particularly a seat in the U.S.Senate.
D)  are not subject to senatorial courtesy.
E)  None of these answers is correct.F) B) and C)
G) C) and E)

Question 10

A written Supreme Court opinion that describes what the majority of the justices decided is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  majority opinion.
B)  plurality opinion.
C)  dissenting opinion.
D)  concurring opinion.
E)  adjunct opinion.F) D) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 11

Studies by political scientists show that Supreme Court justices

Accepted Answer

A)  are strongly influenced by their political beliefs.
B)  are slightly influenced by their political beliefs.
C)  are not influenced by their political beliefs.
D)  strive to ensure that their political beliefs do not influence their decisions.
E)  all share the same political beliefs.F) A) and B)
G) C) and D)

Question 12

How long do federal judges serve?

Accepted Answer

A)  two years
B)  four years
C)  eight years
D)  ten years
E)  until they retire,die,or are removed through the impeachment and conviction processF) A) and B)
G) B) and E)

Question 13

A judicial decision that establishes a rule for settling subsequent cases of a similar nature is a

Accepted Answer

A)  writ of certiorari.
B)  landmark decision.
C)  writ of mandamus.
D)  precedent.
E)  writ of error.F) None of the above
G) A) and D)

Question 14

Precedent,while not an absolute constraint on the courts,is needed to

Accepted Answer

A)  preserve the courts as a counter majoritarian institution.
B)  maintain legal consistency over time,so confusion and uncertainty about the law can be avoided.
C)  check the president in the area of public law.
D)  balance the policy making authority of Congress.
E)  check the president in the area of foreign policy.F) A) and D)
G) A) and B)

Question 15

Which of the following Supreme Court justices was appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower?

Accepted Answer

A)  Sandra Day O'Connor
B)  John Stevens
C)  Earl Warren
D)  Louis Brandeis
E)  David SouterF) C) and D)
G) A) and B)

Question 16

The Supreme Court is likely to grant a hearing when a case involves

Accepted Answer

A)  an issue of state law as opposed to an issue of federal law.
B)  an issue of private law as opposed to an issue of public law.
C)  an issue that is being decided inconsistently by the lower federal courts.
D)  the possibility that an innocent person has been wrongly convicted of a crime.
E)  an issue dealing with state constitutional law.F) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 17

A written Supreme Court opinion that disagrees with what the majority of the justices decided is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  majority opinion.
B)  plurality opinion.
C)  dissenting opinion.
D)  concurring opinion.
E)  adjunct opinion.F) All of the above
G) A) and B)

Question 18

What role does partisanship play in federal court appointments?

Accepted Answer

Federal judges are political officials w...

Question 19

About ________ percent of the nation's legal cases are decided in state court systems.

Accepted Answer

A)  10
B)  25
C)  50
D)  75
E)  95F) A) and B)
G) C) and E)

Question 20

There are ________ federal courts of appeal.

Accepted Answer

A)  2
B)  13
C)  50
D)  94
E)  435F) B) and D)
G) All of the above

Exam 14: The Federal Judicial System: Applying the Law

Although federal district courts are theoretically bound by Supreme Court precedents,they sometimes deviate because

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Of the thirteen U.S.courts of appeals,

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A written Supreme Court opinion that disagrees with what the majority of the justices decided is a(n)

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The laws applicable to a case

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

About ________ percent of the nation's legal cases are decided in state court systems.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The long-serving chief justice that established the principle of judicial review was

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What role does partisanship play in federal court appointments?

Correct AnswerverifiedFederal judges are political officials w...View AnswerShow Answer

Compared to Supreme Court nominations,those for the lower federal courts

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Precedent,while not an absolute constraint on the courts,is needed to

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

There are ________ federal district courts.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Over the last fifteen or so years,the Supreme Court can BEST be said to be practicing judicial

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

About ________ percent of the cases heard by federal appeals courts are later reviewed by the Supreme Court.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Supreme Court is likely to grant a hearing when a case involves

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A judicial decision that establishes a rule for settling subsequent cases of a similar nature is a

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following Supreme Court justices was appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How long do federal judges serve?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Studies by political scientists show that Supreme Court justices

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A writ of certiorari is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

There are ________ federal courts of appeal.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A written Supreme Court opinion that describes what the majority of the justices decided is a(n)

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Federal judges are political officials w...
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