Guardians of the Constitution and Individual Rights
What article of the U.S. Constitution is the shortest?
Article III
What are the two main levels of the U.S. court system?
Federal Courts and State Courts
How many U.S. district courts are there in the United States?
There are ninety-four U.S. district courts.
Cases names are written in?
Italics
What court affects all courts?
Court of Public Opinion.
John Jay was the first ___ ___and was an author of ____?
Chief Justice and The Federalist Papers
What type of state cases do state courts usually handle?
Most criminal cases and civil matters like personal injury, divorce, contract disputes.
What is the role of the U.S. courts of appeals?
The U.S. courts pf appeals review the rulings of the trial (district) courts within their geographic circuit.
When does the Supreme Court begin and end its annual session?
It starts the first Monday of October and ends in late June.
What is a cert?
This is a request that the Supreme Court order a lower court to send up the record of the case for review.
Why was Samantha Elauf rejected from working with the clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch? Why was she allowed to sue the company?
She was denied due to her headscarf violating the company's dress code. She was allowed to sue because her First Amendment, specifically freedom of religion, was violated.
When can a state court move to Federal Court?
Who nominates federal judges, and who confirms them?
The president nominates federal judges, and they must be confirmed by a majority vote in the U.S. Senate
What is a solicitor general?
A lawyer who represents the federal government before the Supreme Court.
The president may also influence the Court through?
The solicitor general's involvement or through the submission of amicus briefs in cases in which the United States is not a party.
Why did inmates challenge the use of midazolam, a drug used in the death penalty, as unconstitutional?
The inmates claimed the drug was unreliable in its ability to bring the recipient unconsciousness, and therefore violated the Eighth Amendment's protection from cruel and unusual punishment.
Why can there be different laws in different states?
Each state has its own laws and court systems, so they can make different decisions based on local values and needs.
What does the term "stare decisis" mean in the context of the U.S. judicial system?
Stare decisis means that today's decisions are based on past rulings, ensuring consistency in legal interpretations.
People and groups that are not party to the case but are interested in its outcomes may file an?
Amicus Curiae
What is Judicial Implementation?
"The most significant check on the Supreme court is executive and leverage over the implementation and enforcement of its rulings."