The Judicial Branch Basics
What is the primary function of the judicial branch in the United States government?
To interpret and apply the law.
What was the issue in Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?
The issue was whether racial segregation in public schools violated the Constitution.
What is the role of the Supreme Court in the federal judicial system?
The Supreme Court serves as the highest court in the U.S. and has the final say in interpreting the Constitution.
What was the issue in Engel v. Vitale (1962)?
The issue was whether state-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
What was the issue in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)?
The issue was whether racial segregation in public facilities violated the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.
How are federal judges appointed, and what is their term length?
Federal judges are appointed by the President and serve for life, unless they are impeached.
How did the Court rule in Brown v. Board of Education?
The Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson.
What types of cases fall under the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?
Cases involving disputes between states and cases involving foreign diplomats.
How did the Court rule in Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) regarding student speech?
The Court ruled that students do not lose their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech at school unless the speech disrupts school activities.
How did the Court rule in Roe v. Wade (1973) regarding abortion?
The Court ruled that a woman’s right to choose an abortion was protected by the right to privacy under the 14th Amendment.
What is judicial review, and which case established this principle?
Judicial review is the power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional, established in Marbury v. Madison (1803).
What was the issue in Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)?
The issue was whether African Americans could be considered U.S. citizens and if slavery could be prohibited in U.S. territories.
What is the significance of the "writ of certiorari" in the appellate process?
A writ of certiorari is an order by which the Supreme Court agrees to hear a case.
What issue was at the heart of Texas v. Johnson (1989)?
The issue was whether burning the American flag as a form of protest was protected by the First Amendment.
What was the issue in UC Regents v. Bakke (1978)?
The issue was whether the use of racial quotas in college admissions violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
What is the difference between original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction?
Original jurisdiction is when a court hears a case for the first time, while appellate jurisdiction is when a court reviews the decision of a lower court.
How did the Court rule in Miranda v. Arizona (1966), and what rights did it establish?
The Court ruled that suspects must be informed of their rights to remain silent and to an attorney, establishing the "Miranda rights."
How does a case typically get to the Supreme Court?
A case reaches the Supreme Court through appeals from lower courts, typically after a writ of certiorari is issued.
How did the Court rule in Korematsu v. United States (1944) regarding the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II?
The Court upheld the internment, though the decision was widely criticized and has since been discredited.
How did the Court rule in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) regarding the power of states to tax a federal institution?
The Court ruled that states could not tax a federal institution, asserting the supremacy of federal law.
What is the "rule of four" in the context of Supreme Court cases?
The "rule of four" states that four Supreme Court justices must agree to hear a case for it to be granted a writ of certiorari.
What constitutional principle did the Court rely on in United States v. Nixon (1974) to limit the President's use of executive privilege?
The Court relied on the principle of "the rule of law" and stated that the President is not above the law, affirming the limits of executive privilege.
What is the principle of stare decisis, and how does it influence judicial decision-making?
Stare decisis is the principle of adhering to precedent in decision-making, ensuring consistency and stability in the law.
How did Roper v. Simmons (2005) change the application of the death penalty in the U.S.?
The Court ruled that executing minors violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.
How did New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985) balance students' rights with the need for order in schools regarding search and seizure?
The Court ruled that school officials only need "reasonable suspicion" rather than probable cause to search students, balancing safety with students' Fourth Amendment rights.