Deck 4: Judges

Question 1

The method of judicial selection that utilizes a retention ballot is _______________.

A) Partisan election.
B) Nonpartisan election.
C) Appointment.
D) Merit selection.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

______________ judges must be licensed attorneys.

A) Lay.
B) State trial court.
C) Federal trial court.
D) None of the above.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

________________ assist district courts with matters such as issuing warrants, conducting preliminary hearings, and hearing misdemeanor cases.

A) U.S. magistrate judges.
B) Federal municipal judges.
C) Bankruptcy judges.
D) None of the above.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

What concept implies that judges must answer to the citizens whom they serve?

A) Judicial independence.
B) Judicial accountability.
C) Merit selection.
D) Extrajudicial control.

Question 5

Which of the following is not a type of quasi-judicial officer?

A) Lay judges.
B) Masters.
C) Referees.
D) Mediators.

Question 6

What types of judgeships are generally filled by partisan elections?

A) Local judges only.
B) State and local judges.
C) Federal judges.
D) U.S. magistrate judges.

Question 7

Under which U.S. president did partisan elections become a widely practiced method of judicial selection?

A) George Washington.
B) Thomas Jefferson.
C) James Madison.
D) Andrew Jackson.

Question 8

Which of the following is not a reason that the voice of voters is not accurately reflected in partisan elections?

A) Most voters are satisfied with those currently in judicial office.
B) Voters cast ballots along straight party lines.
C) Many voters do not cast votes for judicial offices.
D) Voters are uneducated about candidates' education and experience.

Question 9

Nonpartisan elections have been criticized for their low level of _____________.

A) Accountability.
B) Bias.
C) Local political activity.
D) Campaign contributions.

Question 10

Article III federal judges are appointed by the_______________.

A) Governor.
B) President.
C) U.S. Senate.
D) U.S. Supreme Court.

Question 11

Article III federal judges include

A) Federal district court judges.
B) Courts of appeals judges.
C) U.S. Supreme Court justices.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question 12

Which of the following is a purpose of utilizing interim judicial appointments?

A) Avoid the need for a special election.
B) Allow those with prior judicial experience to fill the vacancy.
C) Obtain public support for a new judicial candidate.
D) Involve the state judiciary in the selection process.

Question 13

How long is the term of a full-time U.S. magistrate judge?

A) 4 years.
B) 8 years.
C) 12 years.
D) Lifetime tenure.

Question 14

Which of the following creates a vacancy for a federal judgeship?

A) An interim judicial appointment is made.
B) The incumbent judge is voted out of office.
C) Creation of a new judicial position by the U.S. Congress.
D) The U.S. Supreme Court calls for a new appointment.

Question 15

There is no list of formal constitutional qualifications for ______________ judges.

A) Municipal.
B) Local.
C) State.
D) Federal.

Question 16

In impeachment proceedings, what group acts as a hearing body?

A) U.S. House of Representatives.
B) U.S. Senate.
C) U.S. Supreme Court.
D) U.S. Department of Justice.

Question 17

Which of the following is not a way in which federal courts are insulated from political whims?

A) Federal courts can only exercise judicial powers.
B) Federal judges are given life tenure.
C) The salaries of federal judges cannot be decreased.
D) Federal judges cannot be removed from office by impeachment.

Question 18

Judicial conduct commissions may be formed by

A) Appointment.
B) Independent state boards.
C) State supreme courts.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question 19

Because few judges are prepared to be court administrators, courts may utilize ____________ to handle administrative tasks.

A) Court administrators.
B) Chief judges.
C) Presiding judges.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question 20

Which of the following is not a category of federal district court personnel?

A) Municipal judges.
B) Magistrate judges.
C) Bankruptcy judges.
D) District court judges.

Question 21

Judges in various courts the United States may be chosen by elections, appointment, and merit selection.

Question 22

Federal district court judges are selected in nonpartisan elections every 10 years.

Question 23

The so-called long ballot was created under the presidency of George Washington.

Question 24

Most voters are well informed about the qualifications for candidates for judge.

Question 25

In states with partisan judicial elections there is a lingering concern over the influence that campaign donations may have on judges' decisions.

Question 26

The Supreme Court case of Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Co. dealt with the issue of potential bias resulting from campaign contributions.

Question 27

Interim appointments allow the governor to fill judicial vacancies that are suddenly created by the deaths or resignations of judges.

Question 28

Full-time U.S. magistrate judges are appointed to office for a term of 8 years.

Question 29

The merit system of selecting judges was pioneered by the state of California.

Question 30

Judges at all levels in the United States are required to have law degrees.

Question 31

Discuss the positive and negative aspects of each method of judicial selection. Which one is best for society and the administration of justice? Which one is the worst for society and the administration of justice? Explain your reasoning.

Question 32

Discuss the ever-increasing need for judicial candidates to raise significant amounts of money and the role of gifts and favors from individuals, businesses, and special interest groups. Does this create an inherent conflict of interest in the political process, or is it a necessary part of a campaign? What effect(s) does this have on the judicial process? How should this be addressed? Be specific and give examples.

Question 33

Few judges are fully prepared to be court administrators. What problems can this create and how can these problems be resolved? Should judges handle administrative tasks, or should these tasks be delegated to others? Explain your reasoning.

Question 34

Explain the various functions that are handled by judges at the pretrial, trial, posttrial, and appellate levels.

Question 35

Discuss the processes by which judges may be either disciplined or removed from office.

Question 36

States that judges should avoid making political speeches, contributing to party funds, and endorsing political candidates.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society

Question 37

Conducts background checks on potential nominees for federal judgeship positions.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society

Question 38

Deals with complaints of illegal or unethical behavior on the part of judges.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society

Question 39

Group that frequently debates concepts that create tension within the judicial branch.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society

Question 40

Addressed a potential conflict of interest from a judge who had received a previous campaign contribution from a litigant in his court.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society

Question 41

Conducts judicial confirmation hearings.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society

Question 42

Struck down an ethics provision that prohibited judges from announcing their views on issues during campaigns.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society

Question 43

Entity that plays a prominent role in the outcome of nonpartisan elections.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society

Question 44

Idea that judges must answer to the citizens whom they serve.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society

Question 45

Process of rewarding friends and supporters with judicial appointments.

A) U.S. Senate
B) Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Company
C) News media
D) Judicial accountability e. Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society
E) Canons of Judicial Ethics
F) Judicial conduct commission
G) Political patronage
H) Party of Minnesota v. White
I) U.S. Department of Justice
J) American Judicature Society