Political Systems Ch 14 pre-test

What is a class action lawsuit?

a civil lawsuit brought by a group of individuals

In Lawrence v. Texas the Supreme Court struck down a law banning sodomy in Texas. This is an example of judicial __________.

activism

Who is most likely to submit an amicus curiae brief?

an interest group

The Supreme Court's power of judicial review was established

as a result of Marbury v. Madison.

Bilbo is arrested for theft. He is charged by the courts and the case goes to trial. In this example, Bilbo is the

defendant.

Appellate jurisdiction refers to the Court's power to

hear appeals from lower courts.

The burden of proof is __________ in criminal cases than in civil cases.

higher

The __________ approach to deciding Supreme Court cases says that justices should attempt to defer to the elected branches of government and not contradict their actions.

judicial restraint

When the Supreme Court strikes down a congressional or state law, it engages in

judicial review.

Choose all of the following opinions that might be written by someone on the winning side of a Supreme Court case.

majority opinion, concurring opinion

If a plaintiff and defendant settle a case before it goes to trial or a verdict is reached, this is called a

plea bargain.

What does the term standing refer to?

the legitimate justification for bringing a civil case to court

After the Court ruled on Brown v. Board of Education, who enforced the controversial decision?

the president

Which of the following is the most common path that a case takes to get to the Supreme Court?

writ of certiorari

Choose all of the following statements about opinion writing that are true.

If the Chief Justice is in the majority, he or she assigns the person who writes the majority opinion. , If the Chief Justice is not in the majority, the most senior member of the Court in the majority assigns the majority opinion.

Basic details about the federal court system, such as the creation of district courts and the size of the Supreme Court, are found in what document?

Judiciary Act of 1789

How has the Supreme Court's case load changed over time?

The Supreme Court hears fewer cases now than it did 40 years ago.