Question 1

The Supreme Court is the only national institution that can alter the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Cases heard by the Supreme Court under its appellate jurisdiction arrive there because:

Accepted Answer

A)   they involve foreign ambassadors and nations.
B)   the Court has been asked to issue a writ of certification and to clarify a case for a lower appeals court.
C)   a litigant who lost in a lower appellate court has convinced the justices to hear the case.
D)   Congress has identified the case as so important that the Supreme Court must hear it.
E)   the solicitor general has determined it worthy of a hearing in the Supreme Court.F) A) and E)
G) B) and E)

Question 3

The election of state judges can make courts more ________, but it potentially undercuts their role in ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   responsive to special interests; looking after the public
B)   responsive to public opinion; protecting minority rights
C)   representative of different constituencies; standing up for the majority
D)   political; being fair
E)   democratic; being nonpartisanF) A) and D)
G) A) and B)

Question 4

What is precedent?

Accepted Answer

A)   a rule passed by Congress that the courts must follow
B)   a person's right to bring a case to the judicial system
C)   a previously decided case that other courts use as a guide
D)   the ability to review the constitutionality of laws
E)   the original intent of the FoundersF) A) and B)
G) All of the above

Question 5

Any unsigned opinion submitted by the entire Supreme Court is called a:

Accepted Answer

A)   concurring opinion.
B)   plurality opinion.
C)   majority opinion.
D)   per curiam opinion.
E)   writ of mandamus.F) B) and C)
G) A) and D)

Question 6

Why does a president typically use partisanship as a criterion in selecting nominees to the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A)   Moderate judges tend to be less decisive.
B)   The norm of senatorial courtesy requires the president to do so.
C)   The leaders in the president's party put tremendous pressure on the president to choose a loyal party member.
D)   The president wants to choose a nominee with similar political views to advance the president's legacy.
E)   Judges with experience in party politics are often the most knowledgeable and realistic about politics and policy.F) A) and D)
G) A) and C)

Question 7

The Senate's confirmation hearings for Judge Robert Bork's appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court were notable because:

Accepted Answer

A)   it was the first time ever that the Senate rejected a president's Supreme Court nominee.
B)   it ushered in a new era of less contentious Supreme Court nominations.
C)   the Senate aggressively attacked Bork's character and record in a public way.
D)   Bork's hearing was the first one ever that was televised and open to the public.
E)   Bork's failed confirmation mobilized conservatives and ultimately moved the Court back from the "liberal excesses" of the Warren Court.F) B) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 8

The Supreme Court has ruled to limit the president's authority.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

While a strict constructionist takes a(n)  ________ view of the Constitution, a justice who believes in ________ focuses on the perspective of the Founders at the time that they wrote the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

A)   living; precedent
B)   living; literalism
C)   literal; precedent
D)   literal; original intent
E)   originalist's; literalismF) B) and C)
G) B) and E)

Question 10

While the number of cases submitted to the Supreme Court has ________, the number of opinions the Court issues has ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   stayed the same; increased
B)   stayed the same; declined
C)   increased; stayed the same
D)   increased; declined
E)   increased; also increasedF) A) and D)
G) B) and D)

Question 11

Which of the following lists accurately describes the order in which the Supreme Court acts?

Accepted Answer

A)   writ of certiorari, submission of briefs, oral argument, conference
B)   conference, oral argument, writ of certiorari, submission of briefs
C)   submission of briefs, oral argument, conference, writing of opinion
D)   submission of briefs, writ of certiorari, writing of opinion, conference
E)   writ of certiorari, submission of briefs, conference, oral argumentF) A) and C)
G) A) and B)

Question 12

When the Supreme Court resolves conflicts among lower courts in the interpretation of the law, the principal effect is to:

Accepted Answer

A)   support the importance of judicial review as its main power.
B)   ensure consistent application of the law across the United States.
C)   put judicial activism into practice.
D)   put the supremacy clause of the Constitution into practice.
E)   elevate the prestige of the Supreme Court.F) B) and C)
G) C) and E)

Question 13

The significance of the Court asserting its power to review the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress is that it:

Accepted Answer

A)   gave the Court an unchecked power.
B)   ensured the survival of dual federalism.
C)   ensured that the rights of the majority would prevail.
D)   allowed the Court to have the final say on all national laws and policies.
E)   allowed the Court to become an equal partner in the institutional balance of power.F) C) and D)
G) A) and B)

Question 14

What is a court's appellate jurisdiction?

Accepted Answer

A)   the types of cases that originate in that court
B)   the power to review the constitutionality of cases
C)   cases in which the court must make rulings on the facts of a case
D)   the authority of a court to review decisions from lower courts and change or uphold them
E)   the authority of the court to determine the meaning of a lawF) A) and D)
G) B) and D)

Question 15

The Supreme Court is a national policy-making institution.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

The chief justice is responsible for assigning the majority opinion to another justice on the Court but only when the chief justice is in the voting majority at the conference meeting.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

In his book The Hollow Hope, political scientist Gerald Rosenberg argues that the courts can almost never produce significant social reform. Do you agree or disagree with Rosenberg? Use examples to support your argument.

Accepted Answer

I disagree with Gerald Rosenberg's argum...

Question 18

In November 2013, Democrats sped up the confirmation process of federal judges (except for those to the Supreme Court)  by doing what?

Accepted Answer

A)   getting rid of senatorial courtesy
B)   allowing the Speaker to nominate a candidate first
C)   eliminating the filibuster for such positions
D)   having the president pick from a nonpartisan-approved list
E)   only nominating those with previous judicial experienceF) B) and D)
G) B) and C)

Question 19

Most of the Supreme Court's time is spent hearing cases.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

What was the principal effect of Marbury v. Madison (1803)  on the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

A)   It gave the Court the ability to rule on whether laws violated the Constitution.
B)   It expanded the Court's appellate jurisdiction.
C)   It established the system of circuit courts to take some burden off of the Supreme Court.
D)   It changed the original jurisdiction of the Court to hear matters in which state law conflicted with federal law.
E)   It forced the creation of today's lower federal courts.F) B) and C)
G) A) and E)

Exam 14: The Courts

The significance of the Court asserting its power to review the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress is that it:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

While a strict constructionist takes a(n) ________ view of the Constitution, a justice who believes in ________ focuses on the perspective of the Founders at the time that they wrote the Constitution.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

While the number of cases submitted to the Supreme Court has ________, the number of opinions the Court issues has ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Supreme Court has ruled to limit the president's authority.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Cases heard by the Supreme Court under its appellate jurisdiction arrive there because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The chief justice is responsible for assigning the majority opinion to another justice on the Court but only when the chief justice is in the voting majority at the conference meeting.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Supreme Court is a national policy-making institution.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The election of state judges can make courts more ________, but it potentially undercuts their role in ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is a court's appellate jurisdiction?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Supreme Court is the only national institution that can alter the Constitution.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In November 2013, Democrats sped up the confirmation process of federal judges (except for those to the Supreme Court) by doing what?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What was the principal effect of Marbury v. Madison (1803) on the Supreme Court?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Any unsigned opinion submitted by the entire Supreme Court is called a:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why does a president typically use partisanship as a criterion in selecting nominees to the Supreme Court?

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In his book The Hollow Hope, political scientist Gerald Rosenberg argues that the courts can almost never produce significant social reform. Do you agree or disagree with Rosenberg? Use examples to support your argument.

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AII disagree with Gerald Rosenberg's argum...View AnswerShow Answer

The Senate's confirmation hearings for Judge Robert Bork's appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court were notable because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Most of the Supreme Court's time is spent hearing cases.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When the Supreme Court resolves conflicts among lower courts in the interpretation of the law, the principal effect is to:

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What is precedent?

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Which of the following lists accurately describes the order in which the Supreme Court acts?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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While a strict constructionist takes a(n) view of the Constitution, a justice who believes in focuses on the perspective of the Founders at the time that they wrote the Constitution.

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While the number of cases submitted to the Supreme Court has , the number of opinions the Court issues has .

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The election of state judges can make courts more , but it potentially undercuts their role in .

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Answered by ExamLex AI
I disagree with Gerald Rosenberg's argum...
View Answer

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