Chapter 14
writ of certiorari
A ____ is an order that the U.S. Supreme Court issues to a lower court requesting the latter to send it the record of the case in question.
means that the decision of the lower court remains the law within that court's jurisdiction
A denial of "cert."
is real and substantial
A justiciable controversy is one that _____
a majority vote in the Senate
A nominee for the Supreme Court must be confirmed by
precedent
A(n) ____ is a court decision that furnishes an example or authority for deciding subsequent cases involving identical or similar facts and legal issues.
concurring
A(n) ____ opinion is a statement written by a justice who agrees with the Court's decision, but for reasons different from those in the majority opinion.
the U.S. courts of appeals
Appeals from decisions made by federal administrative agencies may be made to
$75,000
Before a federal court can take jurisdiction in a diversity case, the amount in controversy must be more than
ninety-four
Currently, there are ____ federal judicial districts.
receive lifetime appointments
Federal judges
appointed by the president
Federal judges are
look to the purpose and context of a law when trying to decipher its meaning
Generally, strict constructionists
activism
Judicial ____ describes the belief that the courts should actively use their powers to check the actions of the legislative and executive branches to ensure that they do not exceed their authority.
?
Judicial review
dissenting opinions
Justices may write ____ outlining the reasons why they feel the majority erred in arriving at its decision.
presented to the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court by attorneys on behalf of their clients
Oral arguments are
a federal trial court with specialized jurisdiction
The Court of International Trade is
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
The Supreme Court claimed the power of judicial review in
will not issue a writ of certiorari unless at least four of the justices approve
The U.S. Supreme Court _____
nine
The U.S. Supreme Court consists of ____ justices
review the transcripts of the trial courts' proceedings and determine whether the trial courts erred in applying the law to the facts and issues involved in particular cases
The U.S. courts of appeals
U.S. Constitution
The ____ is the basis of all law in the United States.
U.S. Supreme Court
The decisions of the federal appellate courts may be appealed to the
district courts
The federal trial courts are called _____
case
The importance of ____ law is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the common law tradition
is not mandated by the U.S. Constitution
The number of Supreme Court justices
judicial review
The power of the courts to decide on the constitutionality of legislative enactments and of actions taken by the executive branch is called
standing to sue
The requirement that an individual must have a sufficient stake in a controversy before he or she can bring a lawsuit is called
thirteen
There are ____ U.S. courts of appeals in the United States.
state
There is at least one federal district court in every
stare decisis
Under the doctrine of ____, judges normally are obligated to follow the precedents established by prior court decisions.
writing the Court's opinion to one of the justices
When the Court has reached a decision, the chief justice, if in the majority, assigns the task of
no one else is allowed in the room
When the Supreme Court justices discuss a case in conference
Congress can rewrite the law or pass a new one in an attempt to negate the Court's ruling
When the U.S. Supreme Court interprets a statute in a way that Congress had not intended,
federal statutes
____ are laws enacted by the U.S. Congress
senatorial courtesy
____ is a practice that allows a senator of the president's party to veto the president's nominee to a federal court judgeship within the senator's state
jurisdiction
____ is the authority of a court to hear and decide a particular case.
administrative
____ law consists of the rules, orders, and decisions of administrative agencies
criminal
____ law has to do with wrongful actions committed against society for which society demands redress.
common
____ law is the body of law developed from judicial decisions in English and U.S. courts.
statutory
____ law is the body of law enacted by legislatures.
civil
____ law spells out the duties that individuals in society owe to other persons or to their governments, excluding the duty not to commit crimes.
the U.S. Supreme Court
_____ does most of its work as an appellate court.
the Constitution
sets no specific qualifications for those who serve on the Supreme Court