Question 1

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 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.

Question 2

There are approximately ________ federal district court judges in the United States.

Accepted Answer

A)   9
B)   79
C)   678
D)   1,002

Question 3

Marbury v. Madison (1803)  is an important case because the justices

Accepted Answer

A)   recognized the authority of Congress to regulate the economy of the United States.
B)   nationalized the Bill of Rights.
C)   authorized the Supreme Court to exercise judicial review over laws passed by Congress.
D)   declared the secession of the Confederate states to be in violation of the Constitution.

Question 4

The Supreme Court has ruled that

Accepted Answer

A)   the president can make a recess appointment at any time the Senate is not in session.
B)   recess appointments are a violation of the Constitution and the president never has the authority to make one.
C)   a Senate recess of less than 30 days is too short to justify a recess appointment by the president.
D)   a Senate recess of less than 10 days is too short to justify a recess appointment by the president.

Question 5

A writ of habeas corpus declares that

Accepted Answer

A)   the government must show a legal cause for holding someone in detention.
B)   the government cannot send a defendant to stand trial in a geographically distant jurisdiction.
C)   a defendant in a felony trial must receive assistance from legal counsel.
D)   capital punishment can be neither cruel nor unusual.

Question 6

The Supreme Court struck down parts of the Military Commissions Act and declared habeas corpus to be a fundamental right in the case of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   Boumediene v. Bush
B)   Gideon v. Wainwright
C)   Miranda v. Arizona
D)   Korematsu v. United States

Question 7

The U.S. Supreme Court has been composed of

Accepted Answer

A)   nine justices throughout American history.
B)   nine justices since 1869.
C)   nine justices since 1937.
D)   seven justices throughout American history.

Question 8

The chief justice of the Supreme Court

Accepted Answer

A)   decides what cases will be heard by the full Court each term.
B)   always writes the Court's majority opinions.
C)   presides over the Court's public sessions and private conferences.
D)   is also the constitutional adviser to the president.

Question 9

The doctrine of ________ requires courts to follow authoritative prior decisions when ruling on a case.

Accepted Answer

A)   stare decisis
B)   habeas corpus
C)   ex post facto
D)   a priori

Question 10

What did the framers call the "least dangerous branch"?

Accepted Answer

A)   Congress
B)   the Supreme Court
C)   the president
D)   the bureaucracy

Question 11

When a private individual brings a suit against a company for breaking a contract, this is an example of ________ law.

Accepted Answer

A)   criminal
B)   civil
C)   constitutional
D)   common

Question 12

Most cases reach the Supreme Court through ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   a writ of appeal
B)   a writ of certiorari
C)   a writ of amicus curiae
D)   state courts

Question 13

When President Andrew Jackson reputedly said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it," what did he mean?

Accepted Answer

A)   The federal courts depend on Congress to fund the judicial police force.
B)   The Supreme Court is unable to enforce its decisions without the aid of the executive branch.
C)   It was time for Chief Justice John Marshall to become an attorney general.
D)   President Jackson was not going to allow Chief Justice Marshall to serve him a subpoena.

Question 14

Cases in which the U.S. government is a party are

Accepted Answer

A)   always heard in a state court.
B)   heard in a state court only if a state government is the other party.
C)   heard in a state court if the other party files a special request to have the case heard in a state court.
D)   always heard in a federal court.

Question 15

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.

Question 16

The power of the Supreme Court to review state actions and legislation comes from ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   the judicial review clause of Article III
B)   the supremacy clause of Article VI
C)   Marbury v. Madison
D)   the Seventh Amendment

Question 17

Analyze the exercise of judicial review. What is judicial review, what are its origins, and why has it remained an unquestioned power of the courts for so long? Provide some examples of notable uses of judicial review in Supreme Court history.

Accepted Answer

There are four components to this questi...

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

A)   33
B)   50
C)   68
D)   97

Question 19

Baker v. Carr (1962)  involved ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   desegregation of schools
B)   apportionment of legislative seats
C)   unwarranted searches and seizures
D)   the separation of church and state

Question 20

Medical malpractice suits are good examples of ________ cases.

Accepted Answer

A)   tort
B)   amicus curiae
C)   habeas corpus
D)   stare decisis

Exam 15: The Federal Courts

What did the framers call the "least dangerous branch"?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court has been composed of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Medical malpractice suits are good examples of ________ cases.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When President Andrew Jackson reputedly said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it," what did he mean?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The doctrine of ________ requires courts to follow authoritative prior decisions when ruling on a case.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Most cases reach the Supreme Court through ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Analyze the exercise of judicial review. What is judicial review, what are its origins, and why has it remained an unquestioned power of the courts for so long? Provide some examples of notable uses of judicial review in Supreme Court history.

Correct AnswerverifiedThere are four components to this questi...View AnswerShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Marbury v. Madison (1803) is an important case because the justices

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The chief justice of the Supreme Court

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Supreme Court struck down parts of the Military Commissions Act and declared habeas corpus to be a fundamental right in the case of ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

There are approximately ________ federal district court judges in the United States.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Supreme Court has ruled that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When a private individual brings a suit against a company for breaking a contract, this is an example of ________ law.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The power of the Supreme Court to review state actions and legislation comes from ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A writ of habeas corpus declares that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Cases in which the U.S. government is a party are

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A certiorari pool describes the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Baker v. Carr (1962) involved ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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