Deck 4: Court Organization and Structure

Question 1

A court's jurisdiction is conferred by statute or ______.

A) executive order
B) opinion
C) popular vote
D) constitution

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which type of jurisdiction refers to the division of responsibilities and functions among the various courts?

A) subject matter
B) geographic
C) hierarchical
D) general

Answer 2

C

Question 3

All cases are first heard in courts of ______.

A) primary jurisdiction
B) limited jurisdiction
C) original jurisdiction
D) appellate jurisdiction

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The federal court system today consists of three primary tiers: district courts, courts of appeal, and ______.

A) the Supreme Court
B) the Constitutional Court
C) the Congressional Court
D) there are only two primary tiers in the federal court system

Question 5

States are categorized into the 11 state circuit courts by ______.

A) date they joined the union
B) population
C) average yearly caseloads
D) geographic location

Question 6

How many U.S. Supreme Court justices must vote to hear a case in order to grant a writ of certiorari?

A) four
B) five
C) six
D) seven

Question 7

The first level of state courts includes which of the following?

A) trial courts of general jurisdiction
B) appellate courts
C) supreme courts
D) courts of limited jurisdiction

Question 8

In which state courts are warrants typically issued?

A) courts of limited jurisdiction
B) courts of general jurisdiction
C) appellate courts
D) state supreme courts

Question 9

In the majority of states, which is the court level "of last resort" in the state system?

A) court of limited jurisdiction
B) court of general jurisdiction
C) court of appeals
D) state Supreme Court

Question 10

After losing an appeal in a state supreme court, what is the next level of appeal?

A) federal district court
B) the U.S. Supreme Court
C) a state supreme court en banc hearing
D) none (end of the road)

Question 11

Who determines the outcome in a bench trial?

A) prosecutor
B) judge
C) defense attorney
D) magistrate

Question 12

Which of the following is a type of defense attorney that is selected and paid for by the defendant?

A) public defender
B) appointed counsel
C) retained counsel
D) private defender

Question 13

Which system is used to appoint federal judges?

A) executive appointment
B) congressional vote
C) popular election
D) the merit system

Question 14

Assuming "good behavior," U.S. Supreme Court justices serve terms ______.

A) of four years
B) of eight years
C) of 10 years
D) for life

Question 15

Who has the authority to remove federal judges found to be guilty of "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors?"

A) the President
B) the Congress
C) fellow federal judges
D) the people (citizens)

Question 16

The prosecution is the representative from which branch of the government?

A) executive
B) legislative
C) judicial
D) none of these

Question 17

What courts are the trial courts of the state court system?

A) court of limited jurisdiction
B) court of general jurisdiction
C) court of appeals
D) state supreme courts

Question 18

Witnesses who possess certain qualifications or credentials are known as ______.

A) professional witnesses
B) expert witnesses
C) career witnesses
D) research witnesses

Question 19

The criminal process begins either with the filing of a complaint or ______.

A) an appearance
B) an arrest
C) an information
D) booking

Question 20

A motion to compel discovery is typically filed by the ______.

A) defense
B) prosecution
C) judge
D) jury

Question 21

What are the two ways that charges may be filed against a defendant?

A) complaint and arrest
B) arrest and arraignment
C) complaint and indictment
D) indictment and information

Question 22

A writ of habeas corpus is what kind of appeal?

A) mandatory
B) direct
C) distal
D) indirect

Question 23

Regarding jury selection, what type of challenges are unlimited?

A) peremptory
B) legal
C) for cause
D) factual

Question 24

State courts are the "workhorses" of the American judicial system.

Question 25

Magistrate judges are on a lower judicial level than are appellate court justices.

Question 26

Courts of appeals hear only criminal appeals.

Question 27

Congress has the authority to change the number of justices on the Supreme Court.

Question 28

General jurisdiction means a court has the authority to hear a variety of cases and is not limited to hearing only a particular type of case.

Question 29

State courts of limited jurisdiction generally hear only criminal cases.

Question 30

Proceedings in lower courts are often more informal in nature than they are in appellate courts or trial courts.

Question 31

Courts of original jurisdiction are the courts of general jurisdiction for both the state and federal systems.

Question 32

State courts of general jurisdiction can hear both criminal trials as well as appeals from lower courts.

Question 33

Appellate courts do not decide matters of fact.

Question 34

The attorney general is typically not very active in day-to-day prosecutions.

Question 35

Retained counsel are attorneys selected by the defendant and paid for by the court.

Question 36

Juries are involved in almost every criminal case.

Question 37

If the grand jury refuses to indict the defendant, it is referred to as a true bill.

Question 38

Discuss the most common method of selecting judges among the states.

Question 39

What is the role of the U.S. Attorney General?

Question 40

Discuss the beginning of the criminal process?

Question 41

Describe what happens when someone is booked.

Question 42

Discuss the period between arraignment and trial.

Question 43

What is the first step of a criminal trial? Who goes first during this step?

Question 44

What are the possible pleas a defendant can make in a criminal trial? At what stage in the criminal process does this occur?

Question 45

Discuss the role of the bailiff at the state and federal levels.

Question 46

What is jurisdiction and how many types are there? Why is jurisdiction important for understanding courts?

Question 47

Explain the reasons for and against the popular election of judges.

Question 48

Briefly explain the jury selection process. Which amendment includes the right to an impartial jury?

Question 49

Briefly explain the state court system.

Question 50

Explain the primary roles of defense attorneys in a criminal trial. What are the various types of defense attorneys as discussed in the textbook?