Chapter 16- Judiciary

1. Amicus curiae is generally translated as meaning

"friend of the court"

Amicable but curious"

"to reveal"

None of the above

2. cert is issued and a case is scheduled for a hearing if ____ justices agree to hear it.

2

3

4

All nine

3. In theory, strict-constructionist judges differ from activist judges in that they are more likely to

Adopt a liberal viewpoint on such issues as states' rights and birth control

Apply rules that are clearly stated in the Constitution

See, and take advantage of, opportunities in the law for the exercise of discretion

Believe in the application of judicial review to criminal matters

Look for and apply the general principles underlying the Constitution

4. FDR's court-packing bill is an exapmle of a presidential action designed to

Help the Court reduce its backlog.

Influence the way in which the Court decided its cases.

Make the Court more impartial.

Discourage the Court from rendering decisions on major economic questions.

Allow the Court to grow with society.

5. Who was difiant of Supreme Court rulings and supposedly taunted the Chief Justice to go and "enforce" one of its decisions?

The Mayor of New York City

The Governor of New York

The Cherokee Indians of Georgia

Robert Fulton

President Andrew Jackson

6. There are ______ U.S. District Courts

11

12

13

50

94

7. Which of the following statements about McCullock v. Maryland is correct?

It established judicial review.

It ruled a national bank unconstitutional.

It restricted the scope of congressional power.

It allowed states to tax federal agencies.

It established the supremacy of national laws over state laws.

8. The dramatic and sometimes bitter conflict surrounding some Supreme Court nominationscan only be explained by the fact that

There are only nine people on the Court at any given point in time

The Court plays such a large role in making public policy

The Partisan balance of the Court is quite skewed

Presidents rarely seek the "advice" of the Senate

Nominees are rarely qualified for the job

9. Franklin Roosevelt's plan to reorganize the Supreme Court called for

The Court to meet once every other year.

The total number of justices to be increased according to the age of sitting justices.

The president to select justices without senatorial confirmation.

The Senate to have the power to remove justices from the Court at will.

All New Deal legislation to be removed from the Court's jurisdiction.

10. When politicians complain about the use of "litmus tests" in judicial nominations, they are probably

Democrats.

Republicans.

Liberals.

Conservatives.

Not part of the group that is currently in power.

11. What percentage of appeals gets turned away by the US supreme court a year?

1-2%

35%

99%

80%

12. Roger B. Taney was deliberately chosen for the Supreme Court because he

Opposed the invention of the steamboat.

Opposed the creation of a national bank.

Favored a strong national government.

Was an advocate of states' rights.

Opposed slavery.

13. During the period from the end of the Civil War to the beginning of the New Deal, the dominan issue that the Supreme Court faced was that of

Government regulation of the economy.

Rights of privacy.

States' rights versus federal supremacy.

Slavery.

Government regulation of interstate commerce.

14. Certiorari is a Latin word meaning, roughly,

"certified."

"made more certain."

"without certainty."

"appealed."

"judicial."

15. Seventy years ago judicial activists tended to be

Strict constructionists

Liberals

Conservatives

Moderates

Radicals

16. The Court of Military Appeals is an example of a(n) ______ court.

District

Appellate

Legislative

General jurisdiction

Second level appellate court

17. If you wish to delcare bankrupcy you must do so in...

A court of in which you reside

A state appellate court

The US supreme court

A federal district court

18. The two kinds of lower federal courts created to handle cases that need not be decided by the Supreme Court are

Constitutional and district.

Appeals and limited jurisdiction.

District and appeals.

Appeals and legislative.

Constitutional and legislative.

19. President Bush's difficulty with Senete confirmation of his nominees to federa; judgeships is particularly interesting because...

A record number of federal vacancies plagues the judiciary

President clinton had no such difficulties

His own party controls the senate

Partisanship has clearly played no role in his selection process of nominees

20. In Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton described the judicial branch as the _______ branch.

Most corrupt

Least political

Reliable

Existential