Chapter 13: The Federal Courts

Which of the following is the most likely to involve administrative law?

A case in which John Smith alleges a regulation promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency is invalid

Which of the following would the Supreme Court likely refuse to hear because of "mootness"

A case involving a student suing a state-run university for discrimination in the admissions process after the student was first rejected but then later admitted to the university

In the federal court system, each circuit court of appeals has...

A range of permanent judgeships depending on the workload of the circuit

A person, agency, or interest group not directly a party to a case but with an interest in its outcome may file a(n) ________ brief.

Amicus Curiae

The size of the U.S. Supreme Court is set by...

Congress

Trial courts in the federal judicial system are called...

District courts

Because the number or justices on the Supreme Court is established in the Constitution, Congress would have to pass an amendment to change the Court's size.

False

The majority of cases are heard by federal courts

False

The number of justices who should be on the Supreme Court is specified by the Constitution.

False

Congress has assigned federal court jurisdictions on the basis of...

Geography

Why is Marbury v. Madison (1803) an important case?

In this case, the justices authorized the Supreme Court to exercise judicial review over laws passed by Congress.

Cases ________ are NOT part of the original jurisdiction of the U.S. Supreme Court.

In which more than $1 million is at stake

If the Supreme Court were to decide to review a case that alleges President Trump's antiterrorism initiative violated a citizen's civil liberties, the case likely would be an example of...

Judicial review of executive power

The Supreme Court explains its decisions in terms of...

Law and precedent

Emily Green seeks to file a class action lawsuit in federal court alleging that, as taxpayers, she and other citizens are concerned about the government's failure to protect the environment. The lawsuit would likely....

Not be heard by the court because Emily lacks standing

The written explanation of the Supreme Court's decision in a particular case is known as the...

Opinion

In ______, an attorney for each side appears before the Supreme Court to present her client's position and answer the justices' questions.

Oral argument

In court cases the ________ is the party that brings charges and the ________ is the party accused of a violation of the law.

Plaintiff; defendant

Prior cases whose principles are used by judges to decide current cases are called...

Precedents

If someone tries to bring a lawsuit without having suffered actual damages, the case may be dismissed due to which of the following concerns?

Standing

In District of Columbia v. Heller, the United States Supreme Court held that the District of Columbia's handgun ban was an unconstitutional violation of the Second Amendment. In writing the majority opinion, the late Justice Antonin Scalia looked predominantly to the words of the Second Amendment of the Constitution in interpreting its meaning. This judicial philosophy can be described as...

Strict Construction

If a man is arrested because his home was searched by police without a legal warrant, he could argue in court that he had been denied...

The due process of law

A writ of habeas corpus declares that...

The government must show a legal cause for holding someone in detention.

Once the president has formally nominated an individual for a federal judgeship...

The nominee must be confirmed by a majority vote in the full Senate.

Medical malpractice suits are good examples of ______ cases.

Tort

All presidents have made an effort to select justices who share their political philosophies.

True

The Supreme Court is the only federal court established by the Constitution.

True

The Supreme Court's power to review acts of Congress is not specifically granted by the Constitution.

True

The essence of the "rule of law" is that "the state" and its officials must be judged by the same laws as the citizenry.

True

In modern democracies, courts made up of judges and juries...

hear the facts on both sides of a case and apply relevant law or constitutional principle to decide which side has the stronger argument