Crim - Chapter 8

Currently, the majority of states in the United States use _____ for choosing their judges.

merit selection

Courts of limited jurisdiction, also known as lower courts, try which type of cases?

misdemeanor cases

A key characteristic of state courts is that the ____.

names of the courts in each state vary widely

A(n) ________ is a formal entry in the record by which the prosecutor states the case will not be prosecuted any further.

nolle prosequi

Federal judges are

nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The Supreme Court is composed of ___ chief justice and ______ associate justices.

one; eight

The _____ is a government lawyer and the chief law enforcement authority of a particular community.

prosecutor

Across the United States all federal courts have the:

same structure

The prosecutor has all of the following responsibilities except:

serve as a representative of the government with the legislature

The U. S. dual court system is comprised of courts at the ________ level and the ____________ level.

state; federal

Which member of the courtroom workgroup is responsible for maintaining order in the courtroom?

the bailiff

Which member of the courtroom workgroup calls the calendar? (calls the next case before the judge)

the court clerk

The American court system may be confusing because of all of the following except:

the laws remain the same from state to state

Most defendants begin judicial processing in the

lower courts.

Specialty courts are

lower courts.

In urban areas, the court of limited jurisdiction is the

magistrate's court

Approximately ________ percent of criminal convictions result from negotiated guilty pleas.

90

Currently, there are ______ U.S. district courts.

94

In which of the following situations is the Supreme Court required to review a case?

A federal court has ruled that an act of Congress is unconstitutional.

True or false: The responsibilities of appellate judges are similar to those of judges in the lower and felony courts.

False

Identify the major participants in the processing of criminal cases. (Check all that apply.)

Judges Prosecutors The accused Defense attorneys

The right to counsel is found in which amendment?

Sixth

Most cases appealed from one of the U.S. district courts pass through a U.S. court of appeals before reaching the _____.

Supreme Court

True or false: U.S. district courts are the trial courts of the federal system.

True

Appeals from the U.S. district courts generally go to

U.S. courts of appeals.

What type of overall court system evolved in the U.S. after the signing of the Declaration of Independence?

a dual court system

The text indicates that the best known specialty court is:

drug court

An __________ is the review of a case in a higher court.

appeal

Judges serve as _____ and _____ in the courtroom

arbiters and administrators

Prosecutorial discretion includes all of the following except:

authority to over-ride the judge

Specialty courts deal with:

certain offenses

The specific practical authority to hear cases and administer justice based on law in a particular geographic region and/or hierarchy within the court system is called

court jurisdiction

In the context of state courts, the highest level of court is the ___________.

court of last resort

The entry point for criminal judicial processing in the United States are ______.

courts of limited jurisdiction

As courts of general jurisdiction, the trial courts are _____________ ___________ ____________, which means that a full transcript of the proceedings is made for all cases.

courts of record

Who assists defendants facing criminal charges in understanding the nature and consequences of the proceedings against them?

defense attorney

Functions of the prosecutor include all but

determining if the defendant's constitutional rights were violated.

Federal courts deal with violations of ___________ law

federal

Which prosecutorial functions have the greatest impact on criminal justice processing?

functions involving prosecutorial discretion

The U. S. Supreme Court has __________ and ____________ jurisdiction over cases.

general; appellate

the term "court jurisdiction" refers to the:

geographic area of the court

The U. S. Supreme court is the ________ court in the nation.

highest

Which court personnel have the authority to interpret the rules that govern court proceedings?

judge

Who decides whether someone qualifies as an expert witness?

judge

Courts of general jurisdiction are often part of a ________ _______.

judicial circuit

In the context of courts of limited jurisdiction, judges in the _____ may not have formal legal training.

justice of the peace courts

U. S. Magistrate courts are specifically authorized to handle ______.

lesser misdemeanors

Supreme Court justices, as other federal judges, serve for

life

What is the term of a federal judge?

lifetime appointment

In specialty courts convictions generally involve _____.

treatment

The U.S. district courts are the ___________ courts of the federal system.

trial

Which is NOT an example of a situation where the Supreme Court would review a case?

when a U.S. military court of appeals ruled a lower court's decision was unconstitutional

A defense counsel is responsible for all of the following but:

win at any cost

The Supreme Court's authority to decide which cases it will hear comes from the

writ of certiorari.