Question 1

While the number of cases submitted to the Supreme Court has ________, the number of opinions the Court issues has ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   stayed the same; increased
B)   stayed the same; declined
C)   increased; stayed the same
D)   increased; declined
E)   increased; also increased

Question 2

The chief justice is responsible for assigning the majority opinion to another justice on the Court but only when the chief justice is in the voting majority at the conference meeting.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

What is a writ of mandamus?

Accepted Answer

A)   the ability to rule on the constitutionality of statutes
B)   the original jurisdiction of courts
C)   the right to keep people in prison indefinitely without notifying them of the charges
D)   an order issued by the Supreme Court to initiate impeachment proceedings against a federal official
E)   an order issued to a lower court, government official, or agency to perform acts required by law

Question 4

What legal and political factors influence the decisions that Supreme Court justices make? Given your depiction of the judicial decision-making process, what do you see as the strengths and benefits of having a Supreme Court such as ours in the American system?

Accepted Answer

The decisions made by Supreme Court just...

Question 5

Which of the following lists accurately describes the order in which the Supreme Court acts?

Accepted Answer

A)   writ of certiorari, submission of briefs, oral argument, conference
B)   conference, oral argument, writ of certiorari, submission of briefs
C)   submission of briefs, oral argument, conference, writing of opinion
D)   submission of briefs, writ of certiorari, writing of opinion, conference
E)   writ of certiorari, submission of briefs, conference, oral argument

Question 6

________ of the U.S. Constitution created the U.S. Supreme Court.

Accepted Answer

A)   Article I
B)   Article II
C)   Article III
D)   Article IV
E)   Article V

Question 7

A dissenting opinion is often written by a Supreme Court justice for the purpose of:

Accepted Answer

A)   trying to block the majority's ruling.
B)   showing that the Court is even-handed, fair, and balanced.
C)   providing the basis for reversing a poorly reasoned case.
D)   influencing other justices to change their mind.
E)   building one's judicial credentials on the Court.

Question 8

The Supreme Court waited two years to issue its opinion in Brown v. Board of Education because:

Accepted Answer

A)   it worried that the president would not enforce its decision.
B)   it was sensitive to how the public would react to its decision.
C)   it was a complicated ruling that illustrates how much legal research is often needed to reach a decision.
D)   the chief justice wanted at least one dissenting opinion to make the Court appear to be even-handed and balanced.
E)   the justices wanted to wait until after the presidential election because the Court has a tradition of not interfering with domestic politics.

Question 9

The most direct action the Supreme Court can take to gain compliance is to:

Accepted Answer

A)   force Congress to cooperate by striking down as many of its laws as possible.
B)   issue narrowly written opinions on visible cases.
C)   appeal to the public for support in getting the rest of the government to cooperate.
D)   write broad and vague opinions that give other actors a "way out" if they do not want to cooperate for political reasons.
E)   issue an order that threatens to initiate impeachment proceedings.

Question 10

When the Supreme Court resolves conflicts among lower courts in the interpretation of the law, the principal effect is to:

Accepted Answer

A)   support the importance of judicial review as its main power.
B)   ensure consistent application of the law across the United States.
C)   put judicial activism into practice.
D)   put the supremacy clause of the Constitution into practice.
E)   elevate the prestige of the Supreme Court.

Question 11

The term "senatorial courtesy" refers to:

Accepted Answer

A)   the Senate deferring to the president in making appointments to the Supreme Court.
B)   the Senate focusing on merit criteria in the appointment process.
C)   the president deferring to members of the president's party from each state in choosing nominees to district courts.
D)   the president focusing on the political preferences of the Senate in selecting Supreme Court nominees.
E)   the tradition of the president providing the names of all judicial nominees to the Senate majority leader first before announcing the nominations publicly.

Question 12

All of the following are common criticisms of strict constructionism EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)   the Constitution's silence on many important issues, such as the right to privacy.
B)   strict constructionism stifles any meaningful debate about the Constitution.
C)   the Founders could not have anticipated the changes in technology in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
D)   the wording of the Constitution in some areas is vague and open-ended.
E)   strict constructionism leaves the nation a "prisoner of its past."

Question 13

Supporters of a living Constitution argue that other legal perspectives do not allow the legal system to adapt in response to changes in technology, values, and society that could not have been anticipated by America's Founders.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

The Supreme Court tends to be responsive to the views of the public, Congress, and the president because of the nature and frequency of Supreme Court elections.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Under what conditions is the chief justice more likely to set aside the chief justice's own policy views and assign an opinion to a justice with different ideological views?

Accepted Answer

A)   when there is very little interest in the case from outside groups
B)   when there is fragile support for a majority position favored by the chief justice
C)   when the federal government is a party to the case
D)   when Congress or the president is unlikely to enforce the Court's decision
E)   when public opinion seems to demand it

Question 16

A special concurrence is one in which:

Accepted Answer

A)   a justice agrees with the majority but has something more to add.
B)   a justice disagrees with outcome of the case and the rationale.
C)   a justice agrees with the rationale but not with the outcome.
D)   a justice agrees with the outcome and the rationale.
E)   a justice agrees with the outcome but not with the rationale.

Question 17

Marbury v. Madison (1803) is widely believed to be the most important Supreme Court case in American history. What was this case about? Why is it that no matter what specific party to the case won, Chief Justice John Marshall would lose? How did he turn it to his advantage? Why does that make it the most important case in American history?

Accepted Answer

Marbury v. Madison (1803) was a landmark...

Question 18

While a strict constructionist takes a(n)  ________ view of the Constitution, a justice who believes in ________ focuses on the perspective of the Founders at the time that they wrote the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

A)   living; precedent
B)   living; literalism
C)   literal; precedent
D)   literal; original intent
E)   originalist's; literalism

Question 19

In which of the following is it possible for judges to face election?

Accepted Answer

A)   constitutional courts
B)   legislative courts
C)   state courts
D)   Supreme Court
E)   All judges are appointed and therefore none face election.

Question 20

When a court is the first one to interpret the application of law from a lower court, it is said to have "original jurisdiction."

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 14: The Courts

What legal and political factors influence the decisions that Supreme Court justices make? Given your depiction of the judicial decision-making process, what do you see as the strengths and benefits of having a Supreme Court such as ours in the American system?

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The decisions made by Supreme Court just...
View Answer

While a strict constructionist takes a(n) view of the Constitution, a justice who believes in focuses on the perspective of the Founders at the time that they wrote the Constitution.

Correct Answer
verified

All of the following are common criticisms of strict constructionism EXCEPT:

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following lists accurately describes the order in which the Supreme Court acts?

Correct Answer
verified

Supporters of a living Constitution argue that other legal perspectives do not allow the legal system to adapt in response to changes in technology, values, and society that could not have been anticipated by America's Founders.

Correct Answer
verified

The most direct action the Supreme Court can take to gain compliance is to:

Correct Answer
verified

A dissenting opinion is often written by a Supreme Court justice for the purpose of:

Correct Answer
verified

________ of the U.S. Constitution created the U.S. Supreme Court.

Correct Answer
verified

A special concurrence is one in which:

Correct Answer
verified

Under what conditions is the chief justice more likely to set aside the chief justice's own policy views and assign an opinion to a justice with different ideological views?

Correct Answer
verified

The Supreme Court tends to be responsive to the views of the public, Congress, and the president because of the nature and frequency of Supreme Court elections.

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Marbury v. Madison (1803) was a landmark...
View Answer

What is a writ of mandamus?

Correct Answer
verified

The term "senatorial courtesy" refers to:

Correct Answer
verified

When the Supreme Court resolves conflicts among lower courts in the interpretation of the law, the principal effect is to:

Correct Answer
verified

The chief justice is responsible for assigning the majority opinion to another justice on the Court but only when the chief justice is in the voting majority at the conference meeting.

Correct Answer
verified

The Supreme Court waited two years to issue its opinion in Brown v. Board of Education because:

Correct Answer
verified

When a court is the first one to interpret the application of law from a lower court, it is said to have "original jurisdiction."

Correct Answer
verified

In which of the following is it possible for judges to face election?

Correct Answer
verified

While the number of cases submitted to the Supreme Court has , the number of opinions the Court issues has .

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 14: The Courts

What legal and political factors influence the decisions that Supreme Court justices make? Given your depiction of the judicial decision-making process, what do you see as the strengths and benefits of having a Supreme Court such as ours in the American system?

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIThe decisions made by Supreme Court just...View AnswerShow Answer

While a strict constructionist takes a(n) ________ view of the Constitution, a justice who believes in ________ focuses on the perspective of the Founders at the time that they wrote the Constitution.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

All of the following are common criticisms of strict constructionism EXCEPT:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following lists accurately describes the order in which the Supreme Court acts?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Supporters of a living Constitution argue that other legal perspectives do not allow the legal system to adapt in response to changes in technology, values, and society that could not have been anticipated by America's Founders.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The most direct action the Supreme Court can take to gain compliance is to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A dissenting opinion is often written by a Supreme Court justice for the purpose of:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

________ of the U.S. Constitution created the U.S. Supreme Court.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A special concurrence is one in which:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Under what conditions is the chief justice more likely to set aside the chief justice's own policy views and assign an opinion to a justice with different ideological views?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Supreme Court tends to be responsive to the views of the public, Congress, and the president because of the nature and frequency of Supreme Court elections.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIMarbury v. Madison (1803) was a landmark...View AnswerShow Answer

What is a writ of mandamus?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The term "senatorial courtesy" refers to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When the Supreme Court resolves conflicts among lower courts in the interpretation of the law, the principal effect is to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The chief justice is responsible for assigning the majority opinion to another justice on the Court but only when the chief justice is in the voting majority at the conference meeting.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Supreme Court waited two years to issue its opinion in Brown v. Board of Education because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When a court is the first one to interpret the application of law from a lower court, it is said to have "original jurisdiction."

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In which of the following is it possible for judges to face election?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

While the number of cases submitted to the Supreme Court has ________, the number of opinions the Court issues has ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The decisions made by Supreme Court just...
View Answer

While a strict constructionist takes a(n) view of the Constitution, a justice who believes in focuses on the perspective of the Founders at the time that they wrote the Constitution.

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Marbury v. Madison (1803) was a landmark...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

While the number of cases submitted to the Supreme Court has , the number of opinions the Court issues has .

Correct Answer
verified