Question 1

Only the solicitor general is permitted to file amicus curiae briefs in a case involving the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

If someone is an advocate of judicial restraint, he or she believes

Accepted Answer

A)   in looking only at the words of the Constitution in order to understand its meaning.
B)   that the Court should beware of overturning the judgments of popularly elected legislatures.
C)   that judges should limit their interpretations to the intention of the law's framers.
D)   the Court should go beyond the words of the Constitution or a statute to consider the broader societal implications of its decisions.
E)   that judges should consider legal questions rather than deciding political matters. A

Question 3

Why was the Supreme Court's decision in Ricci v. DeStefano important?

Accepted Answer

A)   It overturned a prior decision by Elena Kagan, who, a few months later, joined the Supreme Court.
B)   It held that employment tests for promotion could not discriminate based on gender or race.
C)   It held that, in order to seek damages, employees must show that employment tests for promotion are clearly defective, rather than that they produce unequal outcomes based on race or gender.
D)   It held that, in order to seek damages, employees must show that employment tests for promotion clearly create unequal outcomes based on race or gender.
E)   It held that employment tests for promotion were allowed to discriminate based on gender or race if the employer could show that the position would be better performed by a person with a particular race or gender.

Question 4

A single lawsuit involving thousands of smokers suing a tobacco company would be a good example of

Accepted Answer

A)   a class-action suit.
B)   a plea bargain.
C)   public law.
D)   amicus curiae.
E)   standing. A

Question 5

The written opinions of appellate courts have been described as halfway between ______ and ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   common law; statutory law
B)   stare decisis; administrative rule making
C)   civil law; constitutional law
D)   public law; private law
E)   common law; public law

Question 6

What is the most frequent and best-known action of Supreme Court justices in their role as circuit justices?

Accepted Answer

A)   vetting cases for the Supreme Court
B)   hearing challenges to state laws
C)   writing writs of habeas corpus
D)   reviewing requests for stays of execution
E)   overturning laws passed by Congress

Question 7

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)   9,500; 80
D)   12,000; 300
E)   5,000; 100

Question 8

The process of judicial confirmations is a low-key and uncontroversial affair.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

What was known as the "court-packing" plan?

Accepted Answer

A)   the decision in the early nineteenth century that all federal courts should be guarded by members of the armed forces
B)   the attempt by the Republican-dominated Senate of the 1990s to confirm as many conservative judges as possible
C)   the attempt by Franklin Roosevelt to add sympathetic justices to the Supreme Court in order to get New Deal laws upheld as constitutional
D)   the desire in Congress during the 1890s to expand the number of federal courts to ease the workload of the Supreme Court
E)   the attempt by the Democratic-dominated Senate of the 1980s to confirm as many liberal judges as possible

Question 10

Write an essay explaining some of the limits on the federal courts. What are some of the rules of access that the Supreme Court has adopted? Describe some external constraints and dependencies from the other two branches. What are some strategies by which the federal courts have overcome some of these restraints?

Accepted Answer

The federal courts, including the Suprem...

Question 11

When the Supreme Court refuses to review a lower-court decision, announcing this decision through a brief unsigned opinion, it is called a(n) ______ opinion.

Accepted Answer

A)   per curiam
B)   ex parte
C)   concurrence
D)   amicus curiae
E)   ex post facto

Question 12

Which of the following is not a traditional limitation on the power of the federal courts?

Accepted Answer

A)   strict rules of standing
B)   the ability of Congress to reduce federal judges' salaries
C)   the inability of the courts to offer relief to whole classes of people
D)   the inability of the courts to enforce their own decisions
E)   the inability of the courts to act on their own initiative

Question 13

The phrase stare decisis means

Accepted Answer

A)   "let the decision stand."
B)   "the state will decide."
C)   "the decision is void."
D)   "the state must be decisive."
E)   "the decision is made."

Question 14

The area of authority possessed by a court, in terms of either subject area or geography, is called its

Accepted Answer

A)   appellate scope.
B)   judicial review.
C)   precedents.
D)   jurisdiction.
E)   mandate.

Question 15

Congress has created a single federal appellate court for each of the fifty states.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 16

Which of the following statements concerning legislative courts is false?

Accepted Answer

A)   These courts are created by Congress, based in their Article I powers, not their Article III powers.
B)   Judges on legislative courts do not have lifetime tenure.
C)   Legislative court judges cannot have their salary reduced by Congress.
D)   Legislative courts specialize in certain types of cases.
E)   Legislative courts are less independent than the courts established under Article III.

Question 17

Approximately what percentage of all court cases in the United States are heard in federal courts?

Accepted Answer

A)   1 percent
B)   5 percent
C)   10 percent
D)   30 percent
E)   55 percent

Question 18

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.

Question 19

What is the Uniform Commercial Code?

Accepted Answer

A)   a federal law establishing common practices in each state regarding commercial affairs
B)   a set of codes states may voluntarily adopt in order to reduce interstate differences in judicial opinions in contract law cases
C)   judicial guidelines established by the Supreme Court explaining the meaning of federal economic regulations
D)   a federal law regulating all forms of advertisements throughout the United States
E)   a set of federal codes establishing common practices in each state regarding international commercial affairs

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

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

Exam 15: The Federal Courts

Only the solicitor general is permitted to file amicus curiae briefs in a case involving the Constitution.

Correct Answer
verified

If someone is an advocate of judicial restraint, he or she believes

Correct Answer
verified
A

Why was the Supreme Court's decision in Ricci v. DeStefano important?

Correct Answer
verified

A single lawsuit involving thousands of smokers suing a tobacco company would be a good example of

Correct Answer
verified
A

The written opinions of appellate courts have been described as halfway between and .

Correct Answer
verified

What is the most frequent and best-known action of Supreme Court justices in their role as circuit justices?

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified

The process of judicial confirmations is a low-key and uncontroversial affair.

Correct Answer
verified

What was known as the "court-packing" plan?

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The federal courts, including the Suprem...
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When the Supreme Court refuses to review a lower-court decision, announcing this decision through a brief unsigned opinion, it is called a(n) ______ opinion.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is not a traditional limitation on the power of the federal courts?

Correct Answer
verified

The phrase stare decisis means

Correct Answer
verified

The area of authority possessed by a court, in terms of either subject area or geography, is called its

Correct Answer
verified

Congress has created a single federal appellate court for each of the fifty states.

Correct Answer
verified
False

Which of the following statements concerning legislative courts is false?

Correct Answer
verified

Approximately what percentage of all court cases in the United States are heard in federal courts?

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified

What is the Uniform Commercial Code?

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 15: The Federal Courts

Only the solicitor general is permitted to file amicus curiae briefs in a case involving the Constitution.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If someone is an advocate of judicial restraint, he or she believes

Correct AnswerverifiedA

Why was the Supreme Court's decision in Ricci v. DeStefano important?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A single lawsuit involving thousands of smokers suing a tobacco company would be a good example of

Correct AnswerverifiedA

The written opinions of appellate courts have been described as halfway between ______ and ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the most frequent and best-known action of Supreme Court justices in their role as circuit justices?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The process of judicial confirmations is a low-key and uncontroversial affair.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What was known as the "court-packing" plan?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIThe federal courts, including the Suprem...View AnswerShow Answer

When the Supreme Court refuses to review a lower-court decision, announcing this decision through a brief unsigned opinion, it is called a(n) ______ opinion.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is not a traditional limitation on the power of the federal courts?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The phrase stare decisis means

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The area of authority possessed by a court, in terms of either subject area or geography, is called its

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Congress has created a single federal appellate court for each of the fifty states.

Correct AnswerverifiedFalse

Which of the following statements concerning legislative courts is false?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Approximately what percentage of all court cases in the United States are heard in federal courts?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the Uniform Commercial Code?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
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A

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Correct Answer
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A

The written opinions of appellate courts have been described as halfway between and .

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The federal courts, including the Suprem...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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False

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Correct Answer
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