Texas Govt-2306 Ch 5
Which of the following is true of typical grand juries?
They ideally serve to prevent arbitary excesses by prosecuting attorneys
Justice of the peace (JP Courts) in Texas can do all the following EXCEPT
create records of proceeding for county courts to review
What is the most important difference between trial and appellate courts
deciding points of fact versus points of law
In most states, which courts hear major criminal and civil cases?
All answers are correct
A justice of the peace court is a(n)
Magistrate court
Judges appointed by governors are typically:
More competent and less responsive
Judges must base their decisions only on the federal and state constitutions, statutes, and earlier court decisions. This concept is called:
Objectivity
Which method for removing judges for misconduct is used by only a single state, New Hampshire
Removal by a legislature
Texas has two supreme courts because
it divides its courts of last resort between criminal and civil cases
The highest number of states' courts use which method for selecting trial court (including municipal level) judges?
merit plan
The strict procedural rules that govern courts
might disallow evidence gathered in an illegal manner.
What kind of criminal case is a county court most likely to hear
misdemeanor
How are appellate court judges selected in Texas?
partisan election
How are trial court judges selected in Texas?
partisan election
If a court makes a ruling based on a principle established in previous ruling from another court, it is an example of
stare decisis
In Texas, Criminal appeals involve the death penalty is heard by
the Court of Criminal Appeals
Which of the following bodies or individuals has some power to remove a Texas judge from office
All answers are correct (the Texas governor, the Texas legislature, the Texas Supreme Court)
Courts differ from legislatures in that
Courts cannot initiate policy changes
In Texas, appellate courts:
Decide whether procedure was followed
The merit system used to identify and select judges is also known as
The Missouri System
In merit systems, appointed judges rarely lose retention elections because
The appointed judge does not run against an opponent
All of the following are concerns about Texas Judicial selection except that
Vacancies from death or resignation require expensive special elections.
Of the following, who is most likely to be appointed to his or her initial seat on the court in Texas
a municipal court judge
The lowest number of states select appellate court judges through
legislative election
Texas uses ________ to review the facts and decide whether enough evidence exists to try cases.
both grand juries and administrative hearings
The Texas government Code allows jurisdictions to draw upon which sources for jury selections
both registered voters and licensed drivers
Most voters go to the election booth with scant knowledge about the qualifications of judicial candidates, and they often end up voting
by name familiarity
What are the two kinds of county courts?
constitutional county courts and county courts at law
Which of the following types of Texas judges are NOT selected by partisan elections
municipal judges
Which of the following methods of judicial selection leads to the highest degree of judicial responsiveness
nonpartisan election
Most court cases in Texas deal with
controversies between individuals
What is the most often called-for fix to the problems caused by the straight ticket vote?
nonpartisan elections
Which method of judicial selection leads to the lowest level of judicial competence?
partisan election
Which methods of judicial selection leads to the lowest degree of judicial independence
partisan election
A murder case would most likely first be tried in a/an:
district court
Which method of judicial selection is a system left over from colonial America?
election by the legislature
Why does the U.S. have a dual court system?
federal system of government
According to a 2006 Texans for Public Justice study, the Texas Supreme Court
is more than 7 times more likely to hear cases file by contributors
How many elections must a judge win prior to being seated on the bench under the Texas partisan election system?
2
What is the highest court for criminal cases in Texas
The Court of Criminal Appeals
