Deck 3: The Structure of Federal and State Courts

Question 1

The judge has the role of _____, which is an obligation to assure due process of law and protect the rights of the accused.

A) finder of fact
B) trier of law
C) finder of law
D) trier of fact

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In this case, the Supreme Court decided that a police officer may conduct a search pursuant to an arrest without a search warrant but may only search in areas that the arrestee can readily access.

A) Miranda v. Arizona
B) Brown v. Board of Education
C) Chimel v. California
D) Gideon v. Wainwright

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Subject-matter jurisdiction encompasses:

A) the aspect of the case being reviewed
B) the location of the offense
C) the type of offense
D) all of the above

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Most criminal courts have _____, which means they are usually limited to handling misdemeanors and less serious felonies.

A) limited jurisdiction
B) general jurisdiction
C) geographic jurisdiction
D) subject-matter jurisdiction

Question 5

This refers to a court's authority to hear a case as determined by the location of the offense.

A) original jurisdiction
B) subject-matter jurisdiction
C) limited jurisdiction
D) geographic jurisdiction

Question 6

This is the official process in which one state surrenders a criminal suspect or offender to another state.

A) remand
B) habeas corpus
C) extradition
D) petition

Question 7

This is the court's authority to hear a case as determined by the court's function.

A) subject-matter jurisdiction
B) limited jurisdiction
C) hierarchical jurisdiction
D) geographic jurisdiction

Question 8

These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over non-criminal cases involving one party suing another for damages or injunctions.

A) appeals courts
B) subject-matter courts
C) criminal courts
D) civil courts

Question 9

A jury that cannot agree on a verdict of guilty or not guilty is called a _______.

A) hung jury
B) grand jury
C) split jury
D) petit jury

Question 10

These courts are created by Congress under Article I powers.

A) civil courts
B) constitutional courts
C) state courts
D) legislative courts

Question 11

This federal statute allows state law to apply to non-federal criminal offenses committed on property that has been reserved or acquired by the federal government.

A) Article III
B) Justiciability Doctrine
C) Assimilative Crimes Act
D) Mann Act

Question 12

These courts allow district courts to focus on original jurisdiction cases and relieve the U.S. Supreme Court's appellate load.

A) federal appellate courts
B) intermediate courts of appeals
C) state courts
D) circuit court of appeals

Question 13

According to the text, currently around _____ cases are filed annually in federal courts.

A) 1 million
B) 2 million
C) 500,000
D) 100,000

Question 14

Which executive branch agency performs federal criminal investigations?

A) Central Intelligence Agency
B) U.S. Coast Guard
C) National Security Agency
D) all of the above

Question 15

Congress divided the United States into nine appellate circuits and created Circuit Courts of Appeals.

A) Judiciary Act of 1992
B) Judiciary Act of 1855
C) Judiciary Act of 1789
D) Judiciary Act of 1891

Question 16

This is the schedule of cases a court has to hear.

A) writ
B) calendar
C) docket
D) schedule

Question 17

This is an order to the intermediate court of appeals, district court, special federal court, and/or state high court to send their trial or appeal transcripts to the Supreme Court for review.

A) warrant
B) Miranda order
C) writ of certiorari
D) habeas corpus

Question 18

What is another term for "judge"?

A) justice
B) chief
C) judiciary
D) trier

Question 19

According to this rule of the U.S. Supreme Court, four justices must agree to hear a case for a case to be heard.

A) rule of four
B) Miranda rule
C) rule of law
D) Establishment clause

Question 20

In 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court described this writ as "the fundamental instrument for safeguarding

A) writ of coram nobis
B) writ of mittimus
C) writ of mandamus
D) writ of habeas corpus

Question 21

The decision in this case requires states to provide counsel in all felony trials.

A) Chimel v. California
B) Gideon v. Wainwright
C) Brown v. Board of Education
D) Miranda v. Arizona

Question 22

Which type of criminal and civil cases do state courts have the authority to hear?

A) violation of federal law
B) copyright cases
C) disputes between states
D) none of the above

Question 23

These courts usually have no jury, often specialize in a particular area of law, and, in more sparsely populated counties, have a single judge running the courthouse.

A) high courts
B) intermediate courts of appeals
C) trial courts of general original jurisdiction
D) trial courts of limited original jurisdiction

Question 24

What is another name for trial courts of general original jurisdiction?

A) courts of common pleas
B) circuit courts
C) district courts
D) all of the above

Question 25

These courts hear disputes of law regarding trials and review the legality of the trial procedures.

A) trial courts of limited original jurisdiction
B) supreme courts
C) intermediate courts of appeals
D) courts of common pleas

Question 26

These courts act as the final arbiter in the state system.

A) high courts
B) trial courts
C) appeals courts
D) circuit courts

Question 27

This entails centralization of the judicial system at the state level.

A) state court decentralization
B) state court eradication
C) state court unification
D) all of the above

Question 28

Which is not a specialized state court that deals with criminal offenses?

A) supreme courts
B) juvenile justice courts
C) re-entry courts
D) community courts

Question 29

According to the text, U.S. courts process more than 20 million criminal cases annually.

Question 30

Courts can hear any case they want.

Question 31

Most criminal cases are settled at the trial court level.

Question 32

The judicial branch is supposed to test the constitutionality of law.

Question 33

Jurisdiction has allowed our courts to become specialized and hierarchical.

Question 34

Only limited jurisdiction courts have original jurisdiction.

Question 35

Criminal courts are older than civil courts.

Question 36

Most cases in original jurisdiction courts go to trial.

Question 37

Appeals usually conduct retrials.

Question 38

Nearly all criminal appeals are filed by the defense.