Court Documents
amicus curiae brief? (Include translation)
What is "friend of the court" brief made by interest groups/individuals not part of the case trying to influence decision?
Established by Marbury v Madison
What is judicial review?
a legal decision or ruling from a previous court case that establishes a rule, principle, or guideline used to decide subsequent cases with similar facts or legal issues
What is a precedent?
Three levels of federal Courts
What is U.S. District Courts, U.S. Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court?
Why judicial review is important for checks and balances
What is ensuring the branches do not overstep their constitutional authority
Latin for a "request to make certain"
What is Writ of certiorari?
The solution to outside influence on the courts making them more independent
What is life tenure/term/good behavior term?
If four justices want to hear a case this makes it heard
Rule of Four
Creates lower federal courts
What is Congress?
Types of Supreme Court Opinions
What is Majority, Concurring, and Dissenting?
+100 if you said definitions
a common law doctrine that directs judges to identify previously decided cases with similar facts and apply them the current case
What is Doctrine of stare decisis?
Why judicial independence is important
What is protecting individual rights/preventing interference?
Custom where the Senate will not confirm a presidential nominee if the nominee is opposed by one/both senators from the nominee's home state
Senatorial courtesy
authority of a court to hear and decide a case for the first time
What is Original jurisdiction
Issue that courts consider inappropriate for judicial review
What is a Political Question?
A compilation of all the laws passed by the U.S. Congress
What is U.S. Code?
A power Alexander Hamilton thinks the Supreme Court needs
What is Judicial review/ power to declare acts void?
Difference between judicial restraint and activism
restraint: justices should stick to precedents and only void acts that are clearly unconstitutional
Activism: Judges should set new precedents and interpret the constitution in a way that supports change
Power of a higher court to review, amend, or overrule the decisions of a higher court
What is appellate jurisdiction?
Role played by Supreme Court grading conflicts between Congress and the President
What is final arbiter?
theory of constitutional and legal interpretation holding that judges should interpret laws and the Constitution based on the original purpose and intentions of those who drafted and adopted them.
What is Doctrine of original intent?
Established that executive privilege does not apply with criminal acts
What is U.S. v Nixon?
The Senate tradition where home-state senators signal approval or disapproval of judicial nominees, effectively allowing them to block nominees. It is also used by the House to reject revenue bills originating in the Senate
Established the federal court system
Judiciary Act of 1789
5 examples of checks on judicial branch
What is: Congress' power to create federal courts Congress/President appointing judges No power to enforce decision Congress controlling Supreme Court's jurisdiction Congress deciding # of justices Civil disobedience Public opinion