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Learning Objective: LO 13.4: Trace the process by which Supreme Court
decisions are reached, and assess influences on this process.
Page Reference: 403
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
56. Who represents the federal government in lower federal courts?
a. public defenders
b. the solicitor general
c. the attorney general
d. U.S. Attorneys
Topic: Understanding the Federal Judiciary
Learning Objective: LO 13.1: Determine characteristics of the federal judiciary
and implications of the adversarial process.
Page Reference: 390
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
57. Which of the following questions would be considered a litmus test of a judicial
nominee during a confirmation hearing?
a. Is the court bound by precedent?
b. What is your personal view on the death penalty?
c. Is there a constitutional right to privacy?
d. Is judicial review overused?
Topic: The Politics of Appointing Federal Judges
Learning Objective: LO 13.3: Analyze factors that play an important role in
selecting judicial nominees.
Page Reference: 398
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
58. A court that hears and weighs evidence to reach the first decision in a civil or
criminal case is a court of __________ jurisdiction.
a. appellate
b. trial
c. original
d. mandatory
451
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
59. How are interest groups involved in judicial nominations?
a. Interest groups typically stay out of federal nominations, but are active
endorsing judicial candidates who are elected at the state level.
b. Interest groups are not involved in influencing the nomination process.
c. Interest groups wait for the president to announce federal nominees, and then
they either endorse or oppose them.
d. Even before justices are nominated, interest groups rank candidates and inform
the media about their support for or opposition to potential nominees.
Topic: The Politics of Appointing Federal Judges
Learning Objective: LO 13.3: Analyze the factors that play an important role in
selecting judicial nominees.
Page Reference: 396
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
60. What role does political party play in presidents’ selection of judicial nominees?
a. It is the most important factor.
b. It is one of many factors, including ideology, race, and gender.
c. Presidents are careful to exclude political party as a factor in the selection
process.
d. It is the least important factor.
Topic: The Politics of Appointing Federal Judges
Learning Objective: LO 13.3: Analyze factors that play an important role in
selecting judicial nominees.
Page Reference: 396 – 397
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
452
True-False Questions
61. Article III specifies the powers of the Supreme Court.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
62. The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the federal circuit courts and district courts.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
63. The district courts are appellate courts.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
64. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789, the federal judiciary was divided into a three-
tiered system that exists to this day.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
65. The Supreme Court’s annual term begins on the first Thursday in April.
453
Topic: How the Supreme Court Decides
Learning Objective: LO 13.4: Trace the process by which Supreme Court
decisions are reached, and assess influences on this process.
Page Reference: 400
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
66. A dissenting opinion is written by a justice who agrees with the decision of the
majority, but disagrees with the rationale.
Topic: How the Supreme Court Decides
Learning Objective: LO 13.4: Trace the process by which Supreme Court
decisions are reached, and assess influences on this process.
Page Reference: 403
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
67. There is a constitutional right to a jury at all state and federal trials.
Topic: Understanding the Federal Judiciary
Learning Objective: LO 13.1: Determine characteristics of the federal judiciary
and implications of the adversarial process.
Page Reference: 389
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
68. The president and the Senate often appoint justices whose decisions reflect their
values.
Topic: Judicial Power and Its Limits
Learning Objective: LO 13.5: Assess the limits on judicial action and the role of
the judiciary in a constitutional democracy.
Page Reference: 410
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
69. The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over cases involving ambassadors
and cases in which a state or states are a party.
454
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
70. Since 1970, national crime rates have fallen dramatically.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 394
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
71. The Supreme Court regularly exercises its original jurisdiction.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
72. The custom of senatorial courtesy is not observed with Supreme Court nominees.
Topic: The Politics of Appointing Federal Judges
Learning Objective: LO 13.3: Analyze factors that play an important role in
selecting judicial nominees.
Page Reference: 395
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
73. Under its appellate jurisdiction, the Supreme Court can review appeals from state
supreme court decisions that raise questions of federal law.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
455
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
74. Amicus curiae briefs are rarely filed in cases before the Supreme Court.
Topic: How the Supreme Court Decides
Learning Objective: LO 13.4: Trace the process by which Supreme Court
decisions are reached, and assess influences on this process.
Page Reference: 402
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
75. Only the Supreme Court can review the decisions of state courts.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 393
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
76. Other than the __________ jurisdiction the Constitution grants to the Supreme
Court, no federal court has any jurisdiction except that granted to it by an act of
Congress.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 393
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
456
77. All district court decisions can be __________, or taken to a higher court for
further review.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
78. The list of potential cases that reach the Supreme Court is called the __________.
Topic: How the Supreme Court Decides
Learning Objective: LO 13.4: Trace the process by which Supreme Court
decisions are reached, and assess influences on this process.
Page Reference: 401
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
79. Of all the federal courts, only the __________ is established by the Constitution.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
80. Judges in the circuit courts of appeals are bound by __________, or decisions
previously made by courts of appeals and the Supreme Court.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 391 – 392
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
81. The circuit courts hear appeals from the __________ courts.
Topic: The Three Types of Federal Courts
Learning Objective: LO 13.2: Outline the structure of the federal court system.
Page Reference: 392 – 393
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
82. The size of the Supreme Court docket has grown significantly since the 1970s;
during that same time, the number of cases heard by the Court __________.
Topic: How the Supreme Court Decides
Learning Objective: LO 13.4: Trace the process by which Supreme Court
decisions are reached, and assess influences on this process.
Page Reference: 401
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
83. In a __________, the defendant generally agrees to plead guilty to a lesser offense
to avoid trial on a more serious offense.
Topic: Understanding the Federal Judiciary
Learning Objective: LO 13.1: Determine characteristics of the federal judiciary
and implications of the adversarial process.
Page Reference: 389
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
84. The president, with the __________ and __________ of the Senate, appoints all
federal judges.
Topic: The Politics of Appointing Federal Judges
Learning Objective: LO 13.3: Analyze factors that play an important role in
selecting judicial nominees.
Page Reference: 395
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
85. Article III guarantees that the __________ of federal judges will not be reduced
during their service on the bench.
458
Topic: Understanding the Federal Judiciary
Learning Objective: LO 13.1: Determine characteristics of the federal judiciary
and implications of the adversarial process.
Page Reference: 388
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
86. The solicitor general handles all appeals on behalf of the __________ before the
Supreme Court.
Topic: Understanding the Federal Judiciary
Learning Objective: LO 13.1: Determine characteristics of the federal judiciary
and implications of the adversarial process.
Page Reference: 390
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
87. Federal judges decide only __________ disputes, or disputes that grow out of
actual cases or controversies that are capable of settlement by legal methods.
Topic: Understanding the Federal Judiciary
Learning Objective: LO 13.1: Determine characteristics of the federal judiciary
and implications of the adversarial process.
Page Reference: 389
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
88. Justices who do not agree with the majority in a Supreme Court ruling can write
__________ opinions.
Topic: How the Supreme Court Decides
Learning Objective: LO 13.4: Trace the process by which Supreme Court
decisions are reached, and assess influences on this process.
Page Reference: 403
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
89. If North Dakota sues South Dakota, the case will be heard by the __________.
