Chapter 5

As of 2017, ________ of Texans identify as Hispanic or Latino, while ________ of all judges in the state identify as Hispanic.

41.5 percent; 17 percent

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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 source(s) for jury selection?

both registered voters and licensed drivers

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

misdemeanor

The Frontline program entitled "Justice for Sale" highlighted how eight justices on the Texas Supreme Court in 1994 had received

more than $9 million in donations.

Most court cases in Texas deal with

controversies between individuals.

Courts differ from legislatures in that

courts cannot initiate policy changes.

Justices of the peace (JP courts) in Texas can do all of the following EXCEPT

create records of proceedings for county courts to review.

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

objectivity.

How are trial court judges selected in Texas?

partisan election

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

partisan election

What is the most important difference between trial and appellate courts?

deciding points of fact versus points of law

A murder case would most likely first be tried in a(n)

district court.

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

is more than seven times more likely to hear cases filed by large contributors.

Texas has two Supreme Courts because

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

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

removal by the governor after a hearing

In Texas, criminal appeals involving the death penalty are heard by

the Court of Criminal Appeals.

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.

How has the state of Texas recently sought to deal with the potential problems of the influence of campaign contributions over the court system?

In 2019, it created a committee to study the effect of money on judicial selection.

Which of the following is true of straight-ticket voting for judicial selection in Texas?

Straight-ticket voting was outlawed in a 2017 bill, a change that went into effect in 2020.

Which of the following is true of typical grand juries?

They ideally serve to prevent arbitrary excesses by prosecuting attorneys.