Vocabulary
What term describes legal protections against government interference, such as freedom of speech?
Civil liberties
Which Supreme Court case established the exclusionary rule for illegally obtained evidence in state courts?
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Which amendment protects individuals against unreasonable searches and seizures?
4th Amendment
What is the highest court in the United States?
U.S. Supreme Court
Who nominates federal judges and Supreme Court justices?
The President
What is the constitutional guarantee that the government must follow fair legal procedures?
Due process
Which Supreme Court case required police to inform suspects of their rights before custodial interrogation?
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Which amendment protects individuals against being forced to testify against themselves?
5th Amendment
Which federal courts hear most federal trials and determine the facts of cases?
U.S. District Courts
Which part of Congress confirms federal judicial nominations?
The Senate
What is the term for the authority of a court to hear and decide a case?
Jurisdiction
Which Supreme Court case established the right to a state-appointed attorney for defendants who cannot afford one in felony cases?
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Which amendment guarantees the right to legal counsel in criminal prosecutions?
6th Amendment
What type of jurisdiction allows a court to review a lower court's decision?
Appellate jurisdiction
What power allows courts to declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional?
Judicial review
What type of jurisdiction exists when both state and federal courts have the authority to hear a case?
Concurrent jurisdiction
Which Supreme Court case established that public school officials may search students based on reasonable suspicion rather than probable cause?
New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)
Which two amendments contain due process clauses?
5th and 14th Amendments
What type of jurisdiction allows a court to hear a case for the first time?
Original jurisdiction
Why do federal judges serve lifetime appointments rather than having to run for reelection?
To protect judicial independence and reduce political pressure on judges.
What is the term for a court decision that is used as a guide when deciding similar cases in the future?
Precedent
In Gregg v. Georgia (1976), the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty does not automatically violate which constitutional amendment?
8th Amendment
Which constitutional amendment contains the Equal Protection Clause, which has been used to challenge discrimination and protect civil rights?
14th Amendment
Put these courts in order from lowest to highest: U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. District Courts, and U.S. Courts of Appeals.
U.S. District Courts → U.S. Courts of Appeals → U.S. Supreme Court
What are the two possible actions a federal appeals court can take to either keep or reject a lower court's decision?
Uphold or overrule the lower court's decision