Exam 3

Question 1

Cities governed by city charters created by state statutes

Answer 1

General law city

Question 2

A municipality with a locally drafted charter

Answer 2

Home Rule City

Question 3

A rule that limits the powers of local gov’t to those expressly granted by the state or those powers closely linked to the express powers

Answer 3

Dillon’s Rule

Question 4

What is the minimum population to be defined as a city in Texas?

Answer 4

At least 201 people

Question 5

What is the minimum population required to become a home-rule city?

Answer 5

At least 5,000 people

Question 6

How many counties are there in Texas?

Answer 6

254

Question 7

A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment.

Answer 7

Initiative

Question 8

A state-level method of direct legislation that gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove proposed legislation or a proposed constitutional amendment.

Answer 8

Referendum

Question 9

A procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the end of their term.

Answer 9

Recall

Question 10

A board elected by voters to run cities

Answer 10

City Commission

Question 11

A form of city government in which the mayor has no more power than any other member of the council.

Answer 11

Weak Mayor Council

Question 12

A form of city government in which the mayor has strong powers to run the city by hiring, managing, and firing staff and controlling executive departments; the mayor also serves on the council

Answer 12

Strong Mayor Council

Question 13

A form of city government in which the city council hires a professional city manager to manage city affairs and prepare the budget; the mayor is mostly a figure-head

Answer 13

Council-Manager

Question 14

An election for an area as a whole; for example, statewide

Answer 14

At-large elections

Question 15

An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official

Answer 15

Single-Member districts

Question 16

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population

Answer 16

Redistricting

Question 17

A local law

Answer 17

Ordinance

Question 18

Hybrid Election System

Answer 18

A mixed electoral system of mixed member electoral system combines methods of majoritarian and proportional representation

Question 19

The person in each of Texas’s 254 counties who presides over the county court and the county commissioners’ court, with responsibility for the administration of county government; some county judges carry out judicial responsibilities

Answer 19

County Judge

Question 20

A Texas county’s policymaking body, with five members: the county judge, who presides, and four commissioners representing single-member precincts.

Answer 20

Commissioner’s Court

Question 21

A public official who acts as prosecutor for the state or the federal government in court in a particular district.

Answer 21

District Attorney

Question 22

County official who prosecutes lesser criminal cases in the county court

Answer 22

County attorney

Question 23

An elected officer in a county who is responsible for keeping the peace

Answer 23

Sherriff

Question 24

Public official vested with the authority to hear, determine, and preside over legal matters brought in a court of law

Answer 24

Judges

Question 25

Public official who is the main record-keeper of the county

Answer 25

County clerk

Question 26

Public official who is the main record-keeper of district court documents

Answer 26

District clerk

Question 27

The judge of a small, local court

Answer 27

Justice of the Peace

Question 28

A peace officer with limited policing authority, typically in a small town

Answer 28

Constable

Question 29

Public official who maintains the county tax records and collects the taxes owed to the county

Answer 29

County tax assessor-collector

Question 30

A person who is responsible for the money and accounts of a government

Answer 30

Treasurer

Question 31

A person authorized to conduct an audit to verify the accuracy of the financial records and accounting practices of a government

Answer 31

Auditor

Question 32

A procedure that allows a judge to postpone final sentencing in a criminal case; charges are dismissed if the defendant completes a satisfactory probationary period

Answer 32

Deferred adjudication

Question 33

The release of an offender from detention, subject to a period of good behavior under supervision

Answer 33

Probation

Question 34

The release of a prisoner temporarily (for a special purpose) or permanently before the completion of a sentence, on the promise of good behavior

Answer 34

Parole

Question 35

Agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand trial for a more serious offense

Answer 35

Plea bargain

Question 36

The death penalty for a crime or offence

Answer 36

Capital punishment

Question 37

Violent attacks based on a person's race, religion, sexuality, gender, etc

Answer 37

Hate crimes

Question 38

State death penalties (as then applied) are arbitrary and violate equal protection of 14th Amendment

Answer 38

Furman v. Georgia (1972)

Question 39

The keeping of inmates in secure isolation so that they cannot harm others; Solitary confinement

Answer 39

Administrative segregation

Question 40

Was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that established that the prosecution must turn over all evidence that might exonerate the defendant (exculpatory evidence) to the defense

Answer 40

The Brady decision

Question 41

A repetition of or return to criminal behavior

Answer 41

Recidivism