Supreme court basics
What is the Supreme Court?
The highest court in the United States.
What is Article III?
The article of the U.S. Constitution that creates the judicial branch
Who is the defendant?
The person who is accused of a crime or being sued in court.
What is Brown v. Board of Education?
The 1954 Supreme Court case that ended racial segregation in public schools.
What is the executive branch?
This branch nominates federal judges, but does not confirm them.
What is nine?
The number of justices who serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
What is judicial review?
The power of the courts to declare laws or actions unconstitutional.
Who is the plaintiff?
The person or group bringing a case to court in a lawsuit.
What is Marbury v. Madison?
The 1803 case that established the power of judicial review.
What is the Senate?
This part of the legislative branch must approve the President’s Supreme Court nominees.
Who is the Chief Justice?
The title given to the person who leads the Supreme Court.
What is the U.S. Constitution?
The Constitution describes this as the “supreme Law of the Land.”
Who are the jury?
People chosen to hear evidence in a trial and decide the facts of the case.
What is Miranda v. Arizona?
The 1966 case that led to police telling suspects their rights, beginning with “You have the right to remain silent.”
: What is impeachment?
This power allows Congress to remove federal judges or justices for wrongdoing.
What is the judicial branch?
The branch of government to which the Supreme Court belongs.
What is the Bill of Rights?
This document, added soon after the Constitution, protects individual rights like freedom of speech and religion.
What is the Court’s opinion?
The written explanation of a Supreme Court decision.
What is Tinker v. Des Moines?
The 1969 case that said students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”
What is declare it unconstitutional?
This is what the Supreme Court can do to a law if it finds the law violates the Constitution.
What is the Supreme Court Building?
The building in Washington, D.C., where the Supreme Court meets.
What is original jurisdiction?
This term describes the authority of a court to hear a case for the first time.
What is a precedent?
This term describes a previous court decision that is used as a guide in future cases.
What is McCulloch v. Maryland?
The 1819 case that strengthened the power of the federal government over the states involved a national bank.
What is a constitutional amendment?
This is the only way to permanently override a Supreme Court decision by changing the Constitution itself.