Question 1

Why is it difficult for voters to learn about judicial candidates in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)   Judicial candidates, by law, are prevented from actively campaigning for office.
B)   Most judicial candidates fill their campaign literature with arcane legal analysis.
C)   Voters are called upon to vote for too many different judicial races in a single election.
D)   Most voters never go to court, so they have little knowledge upon which to base their decisions.
E)   Judicial candidates do very little campaigning.

Question 2

What is the most important role the governor of Texas plays in the judicial process?

Accepted Answer

A)   The governor has the power to permanently appoint all municipal court judges.
B)   The governor has the power to limit the jurisdiction of the appellate courts.
C)   The governor has the power to appoint judges to fill any vacancies on the bench for the time period before elections are held.
D)   The governor has the power to add additional judges to the appellate courts whenever there is a six-month backlog in cases.
E)   The governor appoints all members to the Texas Supreme Court.

Question 3

In Texas, appellate court judges are elected, but the governor appoints trial judges to
six-year terms.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

The majority of the cases that justice of the peace judges hear are those regarding

Accepted Answer

A)   civil cases.
B)   traffic misdemeanors.
C)   death penalty cases.
D)   marriages.
E)   felony cases.

Question 5

One big difference in the campaigns of civil court judges versus criminal court judges is the amount of money involved.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Which of the following best describes the requirement(s)  necessary to be a judge of the Texas Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A)   35 years of age
B)   citizen of the United States and a resident of Texas
C)   practicing lawyer or judge for at least 10 years
D)   natural-born Texas state resident
E)   35 years of age, citizen of the United States, resident of Texas, practicing attorney or judge for at least 10 years

Question 7

According to the Texas Judicial Campaign Fairness Act, what dollar amount is a law firm limited to when donating to any statewide judicial candidate?

Accepted Answer

A)   $100,000
B)   $75,000
C)   $30,000
D)   $10,000
E)   $5,000

Question 8

Texas law restricts the number of judicial races during any single election cycle to no more than six.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Courts that can review matters relating to the disposition of property of deceased persons are referred to as what?

Accepted Answer

A)   district courts
B)   statutory county courts
C)   constitutional county courts
D)   statutory probate courts
E)   justice of the peace courts

Question 10

Currently, there are 15 statutory probate court judges.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Does the high number of judicial seats that citizens are asked to vote for have a chilling effect on an informed electorate?

Accepted Answer

The question of whether the high number ...

Question 12

Justice of the peace courts handle which kind of disputes?

Accepted Answer

A)   small claims
B)   felonies
C)   city ordinance violations
D)   bankruptcy cases
E)   dispositions of property of deceased persons

Question 13

What is the major difference between campaigns of civil court judges versus criminal court judges?

Accepted Answer

A)   The number of candidates is greater in civil court judicial campaigns.
B)   The amount of money involved is much greater for civil court judicial campaigns.
C)   The publicity of civil court judicial campaigns is much more significant.
D)   The racial representation of candidates is more varied in civil court judicial campaigns.
E)   The public is much more involved in criminal court judicial campaigns.

Question 14

Municipal courts have jurisdiction over

Accepted Answer

A)   class A misdemeanors that are violations of federal law committed within the city limits.
B)   violations of city ordinances.
C)   traffic violations outside the city.
D)   third-degree felonies committed within the city limits.
E)   awarding damages in civil cases.

Question 15

What is the most important type of case that the Texas Supreme Court handles?

Accepted Answer

A)   impeachment of public officials
B)   a tort-law case
C)   prison reform
D)   a death penalty case
E)   a bankruptcy case

Question 16

The method by which Texas judges get to the bench is only one method of judicial selection. Describe some of the alternative means of appointing or electing state judges. What has Texas done to ameliorate some of the problems with judicial elections?

Accepted Answer

In addition to the method of judicial se...

Question 17

In what year did we see the highest percentage of judges obtaining their positions initially through appointment at the trial court level?

Accepted Answer

A)   1984
B)   1998
C)   2003
D)   2006
E)   2011

Question 18

In the early to mid-1980s, the court tended to be sympathetic to the plaintiffs' position in tort cases, but by the late 1980s this changed. Which of the following is NOT a reason for the change?

Accepted Answer

A)   More justices began to be elected who favored the defendants in civil lawsuits.
B)   Republican justices began to be elected.
C)   The wave of incoming justices were more conservative than many of the previous justices, who were Democratic.
D)   Interest groups that were harmed by the pro-plaintiff tendencies of the court began to organize, raising and spending money for elected justices sympathetic to their perspectives.
E)   The Reagan era placed a financial cap on what a plaintiff could be awarded from a case.

Question 19

In Texas, all judges EXCEPT municipal judges are

Accepted Answer

A)   appointed by the governor.
B)   chosen in partisan elections.
C)   chosen in nonpartisan elections.
D)   elected by the legislature.
E)   selected according to a merit plan.

Question 20

Between 1980 and 1985, judicial candidates in Texas made a mass change in their campaign strategies. What was that change?

Accepted Answer

A)   Candidates began fund-raising at a much more vigorous level.
B)   Candidates began running with running mates to increase their chances of victory.
C)   Candidates began selecting a party to align with, unlike previously when they ran as nonpartisan candidates.
D)   Candidates began making a switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.
E)   Candidates began recruiting assistance from the Texas governor and U.S. president.

Exam 9: The Texas Judiciary

Courts that can review matters relating to the disposition of property of deceased persons are referred to as what?

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According to the Texas Judicial Campaign Fairness Act, what dollar amount is a law firm limited to when donating to any statewide judicial candidate?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Texas law restricts the number of judicial races during any single election cycle to no more than six.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Justice of the peace courts handle which kind of disputes?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Municipal courts have jurisdiction over

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In Texas, all judges EXCEPT municipal judges are

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the early to mid-1980s, the court tended to be sympathetic to the plaintiffs' position in tort cases, but by the late 1980s this changed. Which of the following is NOT a reason for the change?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The majority of the cases that justice of the peace judges hear are those regarding

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the most important role the governor of Texas plays in the judicial process?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Between 1980 and 1985, judicial candidates in Texas made a mass change in their campaign strategies. What was that change?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

One big difference in the campaigns of civil court judges versus criminal court judges is the amount of money involved.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the most important type of case that the Texas Supreme Court handles?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Does the high number of judicial seats that citizens are asked to vote for have a chilling effect on an informed electorate?

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIThe question of whether the high number ...View AnswerShow Answer

Why is it difficult for voters to learn about judicial candidates in Texas?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In what year did we see the highest percentage of judges obtaining their positions initially through appointment at the trial court level?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Currently, there are 15 statutory probate court judges.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the major difference between campaigns of civil court judges versus criminal court judges?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The method by which Texas judges get to the bench is only one method of judicial selection. Describe some of the alternative means of appointing or electing state judges. What has Texas done to ameliorate some of the problems with judicial elections?

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIIn addition to the method of judicial se...View AnswerShow Answer

Which of the following best describes the requirement(s) necessary to be a judge of the Texas Supreme Court?

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In Texas, appellate court judges are elected, but the governor appoints trial judges to six-year terms.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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The question of whether the high number ...
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In addition to the method of judicial se...
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