Deck 21: Current Organization of Courts

Question 1

Which of the following courts hear cases that originated and were decided in trial courts, providing accountability for them?

A) Federal
B) Appellate
C) State
D) Justice of the peace

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following are a subcomponent of U.S. district courts and were created by Congress in 1968 to ease the burden of district courts?

A) U.S. justices of the peace
B) U.S. intermediate court judges
C) U.S. magistrate judges
D) U.S. circuit court judges

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following are the federal appellate courts that hear appeals from cases originating within federal trial courts in their district?

A) U.S. courts of appeals
B) U.S. magistrate courts
C) U.S. justice of the peace courts
D) U.S. intermediate courts

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following, created in 1967, provides training and research for federal judges and as part of its responsibilities recommends improvements in the administration and management of the federal courts?

A) Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
B) Judicial Conference of the United States
C) Federal Judicial Center
D) U.S. Sentencing Commission

Question 5

The bulk of incoming caseloads in state courts involve which of the following?

A) Criminal offenses
B) Traffic offenses
C) Domestic relations
D) Civil disputes

Question 6

Courts of limited jurisdiction are courts of record, which means

A) formal transcripts are prepared for use at the appellate level.
B) the proceedings are recorded through audio devices.
C) the media is permitted to broadcast the proceedings.
D) formal transcripts are not permitted as the cases are not subject to appellatereview.

Question 7

Which type of specialized courts exist throughout the United States to address quality-of-life crimes such as prostitution, trespassing, and vandalism?

A) Residential
B) Opportunity-based
C) Community
D) Victimless crime

Question 8

Jurisdiction includes geography, subject matter, and functions and responsibilities of a court.

Question 9

Appellate courts hear new testimony and consider new evidence.

Question 10

There are 345 U.S. district attorneys in the 554 U.S. districts throughout the United States and its territories.

Question 11

The U.S. Supreme Court begins its annual term in early October and continues until late June or early July.

Question 12

Courts of limited jurisdiction in states that use a two-tiered court structure (including both courts of limited and general jurisdiction) hear the majority of cases.

Question 13

Most states have abandoned the two-tier systems consisting of intermediate courts of appeal and courts of last resort (or state supreme courts) and opted for a single-tier system.

Question 14

The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 allocated over $50 million for the expansion of drug courts across the United States.

Question 15

Outline the structure of the federal court system and note the functions performed by each component.

Question 16

How are state court systems organized, and what changes have taken place with regard to simplifying the organization of the courts in some states?