16225201023 | jurisdiction | the authority of the courts to hear certain cases | 0 | |
16225201024 | appellate jurisdiction | courts that hear reviews or appeals of decisions from the lower courts have this | 1 | |
16225201025 | Federal District Court | 94 courts (every state, including Puerto Rico and DC, have at least 1) 700 judges original jurisdiction, any type of federal civil or criminal cases created by Judiciary Act of 1789 | 2 | |
16225201026 | Court of Appeals | 13 courts 200 judges appellate ONLY created in 1891 | 3 | |
16225201027 | Supreme Court | only required court by Constitution 1 court 9 judges-set in 1869 mostly appellate jurisdiction; rarely original jurisdiction | 4 | |
16225201029 | legislative courts | created by Congress include territorial courts, the U.S. Tax Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces | 5 | |
16225201030 | Appointment of SC Justices | President approved by Senate | 6 | |
16225201035 | traits taken into account when appointing supremes | party affiliation judicial philosophy race, gender, religion, region judicial experience litmus test-are they consistent with their ruling on liberal/conservative issues? acceptable-current justices interview nominees to see if they can work together; Senate must approve | 7 | |
16225201036 | 1st African American on SC | Thurgood Marshall; appointed by LBJ; argued for Brown v. Board | 8 | |
16225201037 | 1st female on SC | Sandra Day O'Connor; appointed by Reagan | 9 | |
16225201038 | 1st Hispanic on SC | Sonia Sotomayor; appointed by Obama | 10 | |
16225201042 | writ of certiorari | an order by the court directing a lower court to send up a case | 11 | |
16225201045 | oral arguments | timed (usually 30 min); each side presents their case there is an exception for high profile cases (longer time) | 12 | |
16225201046 | majority opinion | explains the court's decision and its reason if chief justice votes w/ majority, chief selects who writes opinion (or writes it himself) | 13 | |
16225201049 | Roberts Court | 2005-present | 14 | |
16225201050 | who is chief justice now? | John Roberts appointed in 2005 by Bush | 15 | |
16225201051 | judicial restraint | court avoids making policy; wants to leave policy up to other two branches | 16 | |
16225201053 | Original v Appellate Jurisdiction | Original jurisdictions are cases that have been heard for the first time from the lower courts but appellate jurisdiction is a court hearing a case on appeal from the lower court. | 17 | |
16225201054 | Original Juridiction | Jurisdiction of a court that hears a case first, usually in a trial. | 18 | |
16225201055 | Judicial Review | A process by which the courts interpret the Constitution. When the courts interpret the Constitution, it allows us to understand how our founding fathers set out to run our country. | 19 | |
16225201057 | In what cases does the supreme Court hold original jurisdiction? | Cases involving Diplomats from foreign nations, and disputes between states. | 20 | |
16225201059 | Criminal law | Is the body of law that relates to crime. | 21 | |
16225201060 | Civil law | A law that governs relationships between individuals and defines their legal rights. | ![]() | 22 |
16225201062 | Rule of four | A requirement which states that a case can only be heard by a supreme court if four justices vote to hear the case. | 23 | |
16225201063 | Judicial activisim | One who believes that the Constitution is a living document whose strength lies in its flexibility and that judges should make bold policy decisions, even charting new constitutional ground by challenging the policy positions of the Congress and the President | 24 | |
16225201067 | District court | Lowest level of federal courts, where federal cases begin and trials are held (bank robbery, environmental violations, tax envasion) | 25 | |
16225201071 | Which of the following is empowered to create new federal courts and specify the number of judges who will sit on them? | Congress. | 26 | |
16225201073 | Senatorial courtesy | An unwritten tradition whereby nominations for state-level federal judicial posts is not confirmed if they are opposed by a senator from the state in which the nominee will serve. | 27 | |
16225201075 | Amicus Curiae brief | Legal briefs submitted by a "friend of the court for the purpose of raising additional points of view. | 28 | |
16225201076 | Legal briefs | A legal document which is presented to a court that is dealing with a case involving a party and the brief argues for the victory of one party. | 29 | |
16225201077 | Litigate | A person engaged in a lawsuit. | 30 | |
16225201078 | plantiff | A person who brings a case against another in a court of law. | 31 | |
16225201080 | Stare decisis | The rule of precedent, whereby a rule or law contained in a judicial decision is commonly viewed as binding on judges whenever the same question is presented. | ![]() | 32 |
16225201081 | What can be done once the Supreme court finds a federal law unconstitutional? | Congress can try to amend the constitution. | 33 | |
16225201084 | Concurring opinion | Additional opinion in a court decision written by a member of the majority. | 34 | |
16225201085 | Dissenting opinion | Judicial written opinion that contradicts the ruling of the full court. | 35 | |
16225201087 | Precedent | A decision made by a higher court. | 36 | |
16225201089 | Solicitor General | A presidential appointee (lawyer) and the third-ranking office in the Department of justice. Argues on behalf of the US before the SC | 37 | |
16225201090 | Trial court | The first court before which facts of a case are decided. | 38 | |
16225201091 | Unanimous Opinion | A written opinion in which all 9 justices agree. | 39 | |
16225201093 | Which Supreme Court Chief Justice was behind the court case Marbury v Madison | John Marshall | 40 |
AP Government-Judicial Branch Flashcards
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