GOV Test 3

Each county has at least how many district courts?

1

In Texas, felony juries are composed of ________ people and misdemeanor juries are composed of ________.

12; 6

If you are convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve time at a state jail, then your sentence can be no longer than

2 years.

Currently, _________ states have the death penalty, while ________ (including Washington, DC) do not use the death penalty as a form of punishment within the criminal justice system.

31; 20

By 2019, what percentage of district judges in Texas were women?

37

If someone is granted probation, or community supervision, by a judge, what are the consequences of either compliance or violating the probation requirements?

A person in compliance will likely receive an early release of up to one-third of the term, while a criminal in violation may be sent to jail or prison for the remainder of his or her sentence.

In cases where the prosecution believes it will be difficult to get a conviction, it might agree to a plea bargain allowing community supervision for a long period.

True

In order to get reimbursed by the federal government for Medicaid spending, Texas must comply with various rules and regulations.

True

Law firms cannot give more than $30,000 to any candidate for statewide juridical position.

True

One factor that works against rationality is the fact that the government tends to work incrementally.

True

Police departments are now required to report officer-involved shootings to the state.

True

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is responsible for both state prisons and state jails.

True

The comptroller of public accounts directs the collection of taxes for the state of Texas.

True

The county judge has political administrative functions combined with some judicial functions.

True

The governor makes approximately 3,000 appointments to various state posts during a single term in office.

True

After reforms adopted in 2015, public schools in Texas are rated on a pass/fail system.

False

Agenda setting happens during the evaluation stage of the policy-making process.

False

In 1996, the voters of Texas chose to adopt the merit selection of judges.

False

In Texas, appellate court judges are elected, but the governor appoints all district court judges to six-year terms.

False

In Texas, only police officers and sheriffs are licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

False

In the Dallas Police Department, the photographic spreads used to help witnesses identify suspects can only be handled by officers who already know the identity of the suspect.

False

Once you are certified as eligible to participate in Medicaid, your eligibility status cannot change.

False

The Supplemental Security Income program set the framework for today's unemployment insurance, and was originally limited only to people who were able to work and currently looking for a job.

False

The average time spent on death row prior to execution is 252 days.

False

The governor of Texas is limited to serving two terms as governor.

False

When county commissioners need legal advice, they ask the district attorneys in that county for help.

False

The major criticism of the grand jury is that it usually hears only what the prosecutor chooses to let it hear.

True

If a governor is impeached and convicted, then he or she

cannot subsequently hold any other state office.

You have been injured in a motor vehicle accident with a large tractor-trailer and have filed a civil suit against the driver and trucking company. You've hired an attorney to represent you in this lawsuit, and your attorney will only get paid if you win the case. You've hired an attorney using a ____________ basis.

contingency fee

Which of the following is a qualification to serve on either the Texas Supreme Court or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals?

have been either a judge or practicing lawyer for at least 10 years

Which of the following are formal constitutional qualifications required to be governor?

have lived in Texas for five years immediately before the election

________ refers to the idea that policy makers have formulated and implemented policies that address problems in an optimal or efficient manner.

Rationality

The governor appoints people to office, but the Texas ________ must also confirm them.

Senate

The governor may be removed from office only by impeachment with conviction by the

Senate.

Which entity has the main responsibility for collecting child-support payments?

Texas attorney general

The governor can exercise the line-item veto in which of the following circumstances:

only specific provisions or lines of appropriations bills

A ________ is a method commonly used by prosecutors to maintain high conviction rates.

plea bargain between the defendant and the state

In 1965, Congress created the Medicaid program, a state-federal program, to

provide health care for the poor.

In Texas, if a sitting governor is unable to hold office due to impeachment and conviction, resignation, or death, who becomes governor?

the lieutenant governor

Welfare reforms are measured along which two dimensions?

the number of people on welfare and the success of getting people into the workforce

If the governor does not think that a piece of legislation that has been passed by both the House and Senate should become law, then he or she can _______________ the legislation.

veto

If you are convicted of a misdemeanor,

you can be sentenced up to a year in jail, but do not lose your right to vote or to possess a weapon.

In big cities in Texas, Democratic judicial candidates have recently swept out many Republican incumbents.

True

Suppose you are a juror on a felony case. How many members of the jury would need to vote the same way to render a decision?

Any decision needs to be unanimous.

Which program provides coverage for children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid?

Children's Health Insurance Program

In Texas, the county judge presides over the county commissioner's court.

True

When would a judge have to run in a retention election?

In a system using merit selection of judges, after a set period of time the judge would have to run in a retention election to see if the voters think that judge is doing a good job and deserves to stay in office.

________ is the only Texas governor to be both impeached and convicted.

James Ferguson

_________________ can result in a jail sentence while ____________________ can result in a prison sentence.

Misdemeanors; felonies

What happens in a bench trial?

The defendant gives up his or her right to a trial by jury. Instead, the trial is conducted with only the judge.

Many argue that the power of appointment is the governor's "most significant executive power." Which of the following accurately describes why that is?

The governor has the ability to make appointments to over 400 multi member state boards or single-member commissioners who direct the operation of various state agencies.

Which statement about the Texas prison population is accurate?

The number of people incarcerated in Texas state prisons is higher than any other state.

Which of the following statements about testing in Texas public schools is accurate?

The number of tests students have to take has decreased over time, but testing has not been eliminated.

In a criminal trial, there must be a unanimous verdict for the defendant to be found guilty.

True

A public opinion poll from 2017 found that 71 percent of Texans believed that increasing teacher pay would be an effective way to improve public education in Texas.

True

Arson science is evolving and we now know that what were once believed to be indicators of arson may also appear in an accidental fire.

True

Civil cases use a standard of proof called preponderance of the evidence.

True

Why is it difficult for voters to learn about judicial candidates in Texas?

Voters are called upon to vote for too many different judicial races in a single election.

Money that is provided by the defendant to make sure that he or she shows up for any required court appearances is called

bail.

Texas determines which children are eligible for reduced-price or free lunch at school based on

federal poverty guidelines.

The three main issues that have shaped education policy in Texas over the last 50 years have been

funding, desegregation, and educational excellence.

District courts usually have ________ jurisdiction, meaning that they hear a broad range of civil and criminal cases.

general

One reason why there are few minority judges in Texas is that

judicial districts are often quite large and dominated by Whites who vote against minority judicial candidates.

In the 2017 legislative session,

legislation was passed that would grade schools on three dimensions: student progress, student achievement, and a "closing the gaps" measure.

Which of the following is a challenge facing education policy in Texas?

low level of public spending per pupil

Unless legally exempt, in order to receive benefits through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, recipients must

make sure their children go to school, participate in an employment services program, attend parenting classes, get their children vaccinated, and agree not to use drugs or alcohol.

Where are county courts located?

mostly in rural parts of Texas

The ____________________ is the only member of the plural executive to be appointed rather than elected to office.

secretary of state

Since each member of the plural executive except the _______________ is independently elected, they are ultimately accountable to

secretary of state; the voters.

In National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012)the Supreme Court found that

states could not be forced to expand their Medicaid programs.

The Select Committee on Public Education (SCOPE) presented 140 recommendations to the legislature in 1984, including one known as "No Pass, No Play" which stated that

students who did not pass a class with a grade of 70 could not participate in extracurricular activities for the next six-week grading period.

Who among the following makes the decision to grant parole?

the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles

Which court in Texas has automatic jurisdiction over all death penalty cases?

the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

As part of his or her military and police power, the governor has responsibility for which of the following?

the Texas Rangers and the Texas National Guard under certain circumstances

One type of appointment power often used by governors is called patronage, where

the governor rewards supporters by appointing them to office.

What is the Texas governor's greatest judicial power?

the power to appoint judges to vacancies in the courts

One of the most controversial issues facing police in Texas and across the United States involves

the use of force.

What is the primary task of the Texas secretary of state?

to handle elections and voter registration

The governor often uses his message power

to highlight important components of the executive budget.

Which of the following was one of the goals of the Affordable Care Act of 2010?

to increase access to health insurance coverage for people with preexisting conditions