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U.S. Government: Democracy in Action 2002
Glencoe Social Studies U.S. Government: Democracy in Action
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Chapter 12 Supreme Court Decision Making
  1. The way most cases reach the Supreme Court is __________
   a) inside an amicus curiae.
   b) through writs of certiorari.
   c) from the highest court in a state.
   d) by falling under the Court's original jurisdiction.
  2. After the Supreme Court accepts a case, the lawyers on each side submit a brief which includes __________
   a) minutes from the Court's conferences.
   b) a per curiam opinion.
   c) precedents supporting one side of a case.
   d) ideas from interest groups.
  3. The Supreme Court first assumed the power of judicial review and ruled an act of Congress unconstitutional in the case of __________
   a) Marbury v. Madison.
   b) Train v. City of New York.
   c) Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.
   d) Ex parte Milligan.
  4. The president can check or influence the Supreme Court through the power to __________
   a) pass constitutional amendments.
   b) approve appointments.
   c) impeach justices.
   d) appoint justices.
  5. Coalitions of justices who take consistent positions in areas of personal concern are known as __________
   a) social forces.
   b) voting blocs.
   c) swing votes.
   d) law firms.
  6. Unlike Congress, the Court is fairly well insulated from public opinion and political pressures because the justices __________
   a) ignore rules that limit the influence on interest groups.
   b) maintain public support.
   c) have lifetime tenure.
   d) rely on others to enforce their decisions.
  7. The principle of stare decisis is reassuring because it makes the law __________
   a) predictable.
   b) rigid.
   c) flexible.
   d) variable.
  8. The Court will consider only cases in which __________
   a) a political issue is involved.
   b) the plaintiff has suffered physical harm.
   c) its decision affects only the parties in the case.
   d) its decision will make a difference.
  9. Because public policy established from a case may depend in large part on the written majority opinion, chief justices often assign opinions in very important cases to __________
   a) someone who agrees with the majority's conclusions but for different reasons.
   b) themselves or someone with similar views.
   c) all the justices who later bargain over which opinion to publish.
   d) a justice who voted with the minority.
  10. The Court risks losing valuable public support when it __________
   a) listens to demands of special interest groups.
   b) stays aware of social forces.
   c) moves too far ahead of public opinion.
   d) makes decisions that reflect change in American attitudes.


 

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