Ch 15 Federal Courts

Proponents of which of the following believe that it is appropriate for judges to make bold policy decisions when doing so is necessary to address pressing societal needs?

judicial activism

If a judge believes that he or she should defer to the decisions made by elected representatives whenever possible, the judge likely believes in which of the following?

judicial restraint

What is the term given to the power of the courts to determine whether the actions of congress and the executive branch are permissible under the constitution?

judicial review

The _____ Act of 1789 established the basic three-tiered structure of the federal court system.

judiciary

The court of military appeals is an example of which type of court?

legislative

Federal district court judges are appointed to ____ terms.

lifetime

the conferences of the U.S. supreme court are ____

limited to the justices themselves

How many seats are currently authorized on the supreme court?

nine

The supreme court issues _____ that are essentially written statements containing the legal reasoning behind the court's decisions

opinions

What are two types of jurisdiction courts can have?

original and appellate

____ is the authority of a court to hear a case first , thus determining the facts of the case.

original jurisdiction

In 1987, the senate refused to confirm the nomination of ____to the supreme court.

robert bork

in a process known as ____ the senate generally allows senators of the president's party from the senate in which a judicial vacancy occurs to block the nomination

senatorial courtesy

Why did Justice Souter wait until 2009 to retire?

so that Barack Obama rather than George W. Bush would name a new justice

who represents the federal government in appeals to the supreme court?

solicitor general

which of the following must plaintiffs have in order to sustain a lawsuit in court?

standing to sue

According to the principle of ____ , a court should not overturn precedent unless it is absolutely necessary.

stare decisis

when a court bases its decision or opinion on previous court decisions or rulings, that is called?

stare decisis

which of the following limits judicial power?

stare decisis

In which courts are the vast majority of all cases tired?

state

Which of the following must confirm all federal judges?

the Senate

what is the (starting) point of original jurisdiction for most litigation in the federal courts?

the U.S. district courts

which of the following has the most control over the cases it hears?

the U.S. supreme court

What is common law?

the accumulation of judicial decisions about legal issues

At president roosevelt's urging, congress passed dozens of laws designed to end the depression . Why did the supreme court initially overturn some of these laws?

the court believed that federal intervention in the economy was unconstitutional

who nominates judges to the U.S. district courts?

the president

when the government loses in a lower court, who decides whether to appeal a case to the supreme court?

the solicitor general

Which Court was one of the most active in shaping public policy in the twentieth century?

warren

Under which of the following circumstances would a presidential nominee to the supreme court have the most trouble being confirmed?

when a president's party affiliation is in the minority in the senate

For a case to be heard in the supreme court, a minimum of how many justices must vote to hear the case?

4

how many district courts are in the federal system?

94

In which of the following cases did the supreme court first exercise judicial review?

Marbury v. Madison

who attempted to expand the number of supreme court justices in 1937?

President Roosevelt

Only a(n)_____ court can review the decisions of a lower court.

appellate

When the U.S. supreme court agrees to hear a case appealed to it from a court of appeals, it is exercising its _____ jurisdiction

appellatte

A writ of _____ is issued by the supreme court when it agrees to hear a case.

certiorari

which type of law involves the violation of the legal rights of one individual toward another?

civil

which of the following are most commonly heard by the U.S. Supreme Court?

civil actions from lower federal courts

What type of standing permits a small number of people to sue on behalf of all other people in similar circumstances?

class action

Which of the following is an opinion opinion written by a justice who voted with the majority but has an alternative basis for the decision?

concurring

which of the following is within the original jurisdiction of the supreme court?

controversies between the states

Which court hears appeals from the federal independent regulatory commissions?

courts of appeals

In which federal courts are trials conducted?

district courts

The supreme court hears cases from state courts only if they involve a ____ question

federal

Which of the following is a way that interest groups attempt to influence the supreme court's decisions?

filing amicus curiae briefs

How and whether judicial decisions are translated into actual policy is known as which of the following?

implementation

Under which chief justice did the Supreme Court establish the power of judicial review?

john marshall