The Judiciary

Question 0

Amicus curiae

Answer 0

A brief issued by a “friend of the court” to help the defendant’s case. Typically from an expert.

Question 1

Adversarial system

Answer 1

A judicial system in which the court if law is a neutral arena where two parties argue their differences.

Question 2

Appellate jurisdiction

Answer 2

The authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts

Question 3

Litmus test

Answer 3

President finds views of appointee and if they have the same views, they’re considered, if not they’re cut out. Only used by some presidents.

Question 4

Patronage

Answer 4

Support that one bestows to another.

Question 5

Article lll

Answer 5

Establishes the judicial branch of the government.

Question 6

Case load of the Supreme Court

Answer 6

See about 100 cases a year, reject most cases.

Question 7

Checks by executive branch

Answer 7

President appoints Supreme Court and other federal judges

Question 8

Checks on court by legislative branches

Answer 8

Creates lower courts, may remove judges through impeachment, senate approves appointments of judges

Question 9

Criminal law

Answer 9

Crime against the public order (usually for jail time).

Question 10

Civil law

Answer 10

Deals with relations between individuals (usually for money).

Question 11

Class action suits

Answer 11

Multiple people sue one person for the same thing.

Question 12

Dissenting

Answer 12

The minority (disagree with the opinion of the majority)

Question 13

Concurring

Answer 13

The majority opinion

Question 14

Unanimous

Answer 14

Everyone agrees

Question 15

Original jurisdiction

Answer 15

The power to hear a case for the first time

Question 16

Defendant

Answer 16

The person being accused

Question 17

Plaintiff

Answer 17

The instigator/ accuser

Question 18

Plea bargain

Answer 18

The defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand a trial for a more serious offense.

Question 19

Original intent

Answer 19

Judges should only use the exact words of the original text to make decisions.

Question 20

Precedent

Answer 20

All future cases that are similar will generally align with a decision.

Question 21

Criteria for hearing a case

Answer 21

Disagreement of lower courts, a state suing another state.

Question 22

Rule of four

Answer 22

Four justices must want to hear a case

Question 23

Senatorial courtesy

Answer 23

President submits the names of possible appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees work.

Question 24

Court packing plan

Answer 24

President packs a court with judges of their ideology to get things passed in his favor.

Question 25

Earl Warren Court

Answer 25

Activist court. Brown v. Board, Miranda, Mapp v. Ohio

Question 26

Grand jury

Answer 26

Decides whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial.

Question 27

Petit jury

Answer 27

Determines guild or innocence in a case

Question 28

Dual court system

Answer 28

Distinction of state and federal courts that make up judicial branch.

Question 29

John Marshall

Answer 29

Precedents relating to the power of the SC decisions. Madison (judicial review), McCulluch (supremacy clause), Gibbons (interstate commerce).

Question 30

Habeas corpus

Answer 30

Must explain to a judge why a prisoner is being held in custody

Question 31

Stare decisis

Answer 31

Judges must abide by previous decisions if their own courts and rulings of superior courts.