Texas Govt-2306 Ch 5

Which of the following is true of typical grand juries?

They ideally serve to prevent arbitary excesses by prosecuting attorneys

Justice of the peace (JP Courts) in Texas can do all the following EXCEPT

create records of proceeding for county courts to review

What is the most important difference between trial and appellate courts

deciding points of fact versus points of law

In most states, which courts hear major criminal and civil cases?

All answers are correct

A justice of the peace court is a(n)

Magistrate court

Judges appointed by governors are typically:

More competent and less responsive

Judges must base their decisions only on the federal and state constitutions, statutes, and earlier court decisions. This concept is called:

Objectivity

Which method for removing judges for misconduct is used by only a single state, New Hampshire

Removal by a legislature

Texas has two supreme courts because

it divides its courts of last resort between criminal and civil cases

The highest number of states' courts use which method for selecting trial court (including municipal level) judges?

merit plan

The strict procedural rules that govern courts

might disallow evidence gathered in an illegal manner.

What kind of criminal case is a county court most likely to hear

misdemeanor

How are appellate court judges selected in Texas?

partisan election

How are trial court judges selected in Texas?

partisan election

If a court makes a ruling based on a principle established in previous ruling from another court, it is an example of

stare decisis

In Texas, Criminal appeals involve the death penalty is heard by

the Court of Criminal Appeals

Which of the following bodies or individuals has some power to remove a Texas judge from office

All answers are correct (the Texas governor, the Texas legislature, the Texas Supreme Court)

Courts differ from legislatures in that

Courts cannot initiate policy changes

In Texas, appellate courts:

Decide whether procedure was followed

The merit system used to identify and select judges is also known as

The Missouri System

In merit systems, appointed judges rarely lose retention elections because

The appointed judge does not run against an opponent

All of the following are concerns about Texas Judicial selection except that

Vacancies from death or resignation require expensive special elections.

Of the following, who is most likely to be appointed to his or her initial seat on the court in Texas

a municipal court judge

The lowest number of states select appellate court judges through

legislative election

Texas uses ________ to review the facts and decide whether enough evidence exists to try cases.

both grand juries and administrative hearings

The Texas government Code allows jurisdictions to draw upon which sources for jury selections

both registered voters and licensed drivers

Most voters go to the election booth with scant knowledge about the qualifications of judicial candidates, and they often end up voting

by name familiarity

What are the two kinds of county courts?

constitutional county courts and county courts at law

Which of the following types of Texas judges are NOT selected by partisan elections

municipal judges

Which of the following methods of judicial selection leads to the highest degree of judicial responsiveness

nonpartisan election

Most court cases in Texas deal with

controversies between individuals

What is the most often called-for fix to the problems caused by the straight ticket vote?

nonpartisan elections

Which method of judicial selection leads to the lowest level of judicial competence?

partisan election

Which methods of judicial selection leads to the lowest degree of judicial independence

partisan election

A murder case would most likely first be tried in a/an:

district court

Which method of judicial selection is a system left over from colonial America?

election by the legislature

Why does the U.S. have a dual court system?

federal system of government

According to a 2006 Texans for Public Justice study, the Texas Supreme Court

is more than 7 times more likely to hear cases file by contributors

How many elections must a judge win prior to being seated on the bench under the Texas partisan election system?

2

What is the highest court for criminal cases in Texas

The Court of Criminal Appeals