Govt 2306 Quiz 6

According to the Texas Judicial Campaign Fairness Act, what dollar amount is an individual limited to when donating to a statewide judicial candidate?

$5,000

Each county has at least how many district courts?

1

By 2017, what percentage of appellate judges are Latinos?

15

By 2017, what percentage of district judges in Texas were women?

35

According to Brace and Hall, how many more cases to state supreme courts decide each year compared to the US Supreme Court?

700 times as many

How many justices sit on the Texas Supreme Court?

9

In Texas, approximately how many criminal convictions are the result of plea bargains?

97 percent

Which French author understood and appreciated the instability of majoritarian, American politics and the role that courts and law played in the American political system?

Alexis de Tocqueville

The concept of Devolution (in Federalism) has primarily had which of the following effects on state courts, and state courts of last resort in particular?

State courts of last resort have seen a growth in their role in policymaking

Veterans' courts, DWI courts, and drug courts are types of

specialty courts.

What is considered unique about the appellate court structure in Texas?

Texas has separate appellate courts for civil and criminal cases.

Before 1978, partisanship was not a factor in Texas judicial elections because

Texas was effectively a one-party state.

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.

In criminal cases, the prosecutor must prove that the defendant is guilty

beyond a reasonable doubt.

In what type of court would a justice of the peace handle minor criminal cases, less serious civil suits, and traffic/parking violations?

court of limited jurisdiction

Civil law focuses on __________________, while criminal law focuses on __________________.

disputes about relationships, obligations, and responsibilities; violations of codes of right and wrong as determined by criminal statutes

The major trial courts in Texas are

district courts

Which of the following is a court of limited civil jurisdiction within the Texas state court system?

municipal court

How many states also have in place a campaign fairness act similar to that of Texas's Judicial Campaign Fairness Act?

none: Texas is the only one

Texas officially uses which method to select state judges?

partisan election

A person who files a civil lawsuit against another party is called a

plaintiff

In civil cases, the burden is on the plaintiff, and the standard that must be met is known as

preponderance of the evidence.

A merit election plan would

provide for an appointment process, and then when the term has been served, the judge would seek retention in an election with no opponents listed.

Courts that can review matters relating to the disposition of property of deceased people are referred to as what?

statutory probate courts

In Texas, which judicial candidate race is considered the most expensive, where candidates are likely to raise over $1 million?

supreme court

Which of the following has been given as a reason for reforming the way judges are selected in Texas?

the importance of a judicial candidate's name in the current system

At the same time that the Texas Supreme Court become more conservative,

the legislature was also passing laws that favored businesses, creating a situation where it is becoming more difficult for individuals to successfully sue businesses in civil lawsuits.

What is the most important type of case that the Texas Supreme Court handles?

tort law cases

The majority of the cases that justice of the peace judges hear are those regarding

traffic misdemeanors.

Municipal courts have jurisdiction over

violations of city ordinances.

By the early 1980s, judicial candidates in Texas made a mass change in their campaign strategies. What was that change?

Candidates began making a switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.

What happens in a bench trial?

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

Which of the following is true with respect to the rate at which sitting judges face challengers in nonpartisan judicial elections?

The number of sitting judges who faced a challenger almost doubled between 1990 and 2000

Which of the following is an example of a case that would most likely be heard in criminal court?

a case in which a student has vandalized cars in a school parking lot

In a criminal trial,

a unanimous verdict is needed to find a defendant guilty or not guilty.

County judges who preside over county commissioners' courts are responsible for

administering county governments.

What types of cases does the Texas Supreme Court hear?

civil appeals

A(n) ________ is the presentation of a grievance by the plaintiff in a civil case.

complaint

In spite of judicial campaigns, voters often know little about judicial candidates. As a result, they vote

for the party label.

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

general

In order to be eligible to serve on either the Texas Supreme Court or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, you must

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

The State Bar of Texas is a unique organization because

it is a professional organization, but it also performs functions on behalf of the government, such as licensing and disciplining members.

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.

Which court's justices are the least likely to be lawyers?

justice of the peace

Which judicial office has existed in Texas since 1837, even before statehood?

justice of the peace

The Texas Judicial Campaign Fairness Act

limits the amount of campaign contributions a judicial candidate can receive from an individual donor.

The Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals have appellate jurisdiction, which means they have the authority to do what?

review the decisions of lower courts to determine whether legal principles and court procedures were followed correctly

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

the court of criminal appeals

In a capital case,

the death penalty is a possible punishment upon conviction.

Civil rights organizations representing Latinos and African Americans have argued that for minorities to get elected into office

there must be small judicial districts where minority voters make up the majority.