Chapters 11 And 12

Question 1

Litigant

Answer 1

A person engaged ina lawsuit

Question 2

Petit jury

Answer 2

A trial jury, usually consisting of 6 or 12 people, that weighs the evidence presented at a trial and renders a verdict

Question 3

Grand jury

Answer 3

A group that hears charges against a suspect and decides whether there is sufficient evidence to bring the person to trial

Question 4

Indictment

Answer 4

A formal charge by a grand jury

Question 5

Judicial circuit

Answer 5

A region containing a United States appellate court

Question 6

Opinion

Answer 6

A written explanation of a supreme courts decision

Question 7

Writ of certiorari

Answer 7

An order from the Supreme Court to a lower court to send up the records on a case for review

Question 8

Brief

Answer 8

A written statement setting forth the legal arguments, relevant facts, and precedents supporting one side of a case

Question 9

Amicus curiae

Answer 9

Latin for friend of the court

A written brief from and individual or group claiming to have info useful to a courts consideratiob of a case

Question 10

Stare decjsis

Answer 10

A latin term meaning “let the decision stand”
I
Principle that once the court rules on a case, its decision serves as a precedent on which to base other decisions

Question 11

Precedent

Answer 11

A model on which to base later decisions or actions

Question 12

Bloc

Answer 12

Coalition that promotes a common interest

Question 13

Swig vote

Answer 13

Deciding vote

Question 14

Explain the difference between concurrent jurisdiction, original jurisdiction, appellate jurisdiction

Answer 14

Concurrent- both states and federal gives have authority to hear case
Original- district court they have authority to hear case first
Appellate- can only hear case on review

Question 15

What type of cases do federal courts have jurisdiction over

Answer 15

If involves: Federal law
Constitution
Treaty
Bankruptcy

Question 16

Write out: What is judicial review

Answer 16

Authority of the court to review actions of govt and determine if they are constitutional

Question 17

Explain the due process clause

Answer 17

When a state can not deprive you of life, liberty, and property without following specific procedures

Question 18

Explain the purpose of district courts. Where are they located? What type of cases do they hear? What percent of cases do they hear

Answer 18

Purpose: they are the trail courts for criminal and civil federal cases
94 across the states
Hear 80% of criminal and civil cases

Question 19

What is the federal courts of appeal store? How many are there? How are they divided up around the nation?

Answer 19

Are responsible for hearing appeals from the district court

They are divided into 12 circuits and 1 national court

Question 20

Matching: Court of international trade

Answer 20

Jurisdiction over cases dealing with tariffs

Based in NYC but hears cases in other port cities

Question 21

US court of federal claims

Answer 21

Handles claims against the us for money damages

-person who believes govt hasn’t paid bill sue in this court

Question 22

US tax court

Answer 22

Cases relating to fed taxes

Comes from citizens disagreeing w/IRS

Question 23

US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

Answer 23

Armed forces highest appeals court

Cases of armed forces members convicted of breaking military law

Question 24

Territorial courts

Answer 24

Exist in Guam, Puerto Rico, etc

Question 25

Courts of the District of Columbia

Answer 25

Judiciary system for fed district/nations capital | Includes fed district courts, court of appeals, and local courts

Question 26

Courts of veterans appeals

Answer 26

Hears appeals from board of veterans appeals | Deals with veterans claims for benefits and other problems

Question 27

Foreign intelligence surveillance court

Answer 27

Authorized to secretly wiretap people suspected of spying against us.

Question 28

Give an example of a case that the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over

Answer 28

Original jurisdiction if involves a foreign diplomat, if states are involved, or states sues the fed govt

Question 29

Give an example of a case that the Supreme Court has apeallate jurisdiction over

Answer 29

Comes from lower court of appeals

Question 30

What are the three decision-making task of the suprme court

Answer 30

1. Which case to hear 2. Deciding the case its self 3. Write the opinion

Question 31

Lisiting: Who are the current Supreme Court justices

Answer 31

``` Roberts Chief Justice Alito Souter Breyer Kennedy Thomas Stevens Vader Ginsburg ```

Question 32

Name some of the duties of the justices

Answer 32

Have to decide cases and write opinions Each responsible for federal circuit Can take on additional limited duties outside the court

Question 33

How are the Supreme Court justices given the job? How long do they say

Answer 33

Appointed by the president approved by the senate | Serve for life

Question 34

Explain what justices do during a session. Know that a session general is the last from

Answer 34

Sit for 2 weeks each month to hear and announce cases, rest of the time they decide which cases to hear, write opinions, and meetings Last from October to June

Question 35

No the four ways a case married to the Supreme Court and having a different

Answer 35

Writ of certiorari- party in a case seeks review and the court requests records on the case Appeal- someone has requested a lower courts decision to be reviewed on a case dealing with the constitution Solicitor general- lawyer for the us govt will pursue cases in the Supreme Court Original jurisdiction- if Supreme Court has original jurisdiction

Question 36

Listing: Westin describe the steps to the deciding major cases

Answer 36

Submitting briefs- lawyers on each side submit written statement of their legal argument Oral arguments- each side gets 30 minutes to present their case and be questioned by the justices Conference- justices meet in private, debate the case and vote Writing the opinion- a justice is assigned to explain the courts decision

Question 37

Explain the difference between majority opinion, concurring, unanimous, and dissenting

Answer 37

Majority: winning unanimous: everyone agrees Concurring: agree but for a different reason Dissenting: losing opinion

Question 38

What are the three tours the court as for shaping policy

Answer 38

Judicial review, interpreting the meaning of laws, overruling and reversing its previous decisions

Question 39

What are the limits on Supreme Court authority

Answer 39

``` Types of issues Types of cases Control of agenda Lack of enforcement power Checks and balances ```

Question 40

Name the 5 forces that shape the decisions the court makes

Answer 40

``` Existing laws Personal views of justices Justices interactions with one another Social forces and public attitudes Congress and the president ```

Question 41

Give examples on how the president and congress can influence the court

Answer 41

Congress: Set # of justices and salary, senate approves them, can limit types of cases that come to Supreme Court, rewrite laws President: can appoint justices or refuse to enforce their decision