5 Written Questions

1. a decision of at least four of the nine Supreme Court justices to review a decision of a lower court; from the Latin "to make more certain"
2. the top government lawyer in all cases before the Supreme Court where the government is a party
3. judicial philosophy that posits that the Court should go beyond the words of the Constitution or a statute to consider the broader societal implications of its decisions
4. a brief, unsigned decision by an appellate court, usually rejecting a petition to review the decision of a lower court
5. the first court to hear a criminal or civil case

5 Matching Questions

1. stare decisis
2. defendant
3. supreme court
4. jurisdiction
5. chief justice

1. a justice on the Supreme Court who presides over the Court's public sessions and whose official title is Chief Justice of the United States
2. b the sphere of a court's power and authority
3. c the one against whom a complaint is brought in a criminal or civil case
4. d the highest court in a particular state or in the United States. This court primarily serves an appellate function
5. e literally, "let the decision stand." The doctrine that a previous decision by a court applies as a precedent in similar cases until that decision is overruled

5 Multiple Choice Questions

1. the stage in Supreme Court procedure in which attorneys for both sides appear before the Court to present their positions and answer questions posed by justices
   1. precedent
   2. plea bargain
   3. oral argument
   4. trial court
2. the right of an individual or organization to initiate a court case, on the basis of their having a substantial stake in the outcome
   1. defendant
   2. plaintiff
   3. opinion
   4. standing
3. the branch of law that deals with disputes that do not involve criminal penalties
   1. brief
   2. criminal law
   3. opinion
   4. civil law
4. a court that hears appeals of trial court decisions
   1. court of appeals
   2. criminal law
   3. solicitor general
   4. mootness
5. Article VI of the Constitution, which states that laws passed by the national government and all treaties are the supreme law of the land and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any subdivision
   1. stare decisis
   2. trial court
   3. supreme court
   4. supremacy clause

5 True/False Questions

1. due process of law → the right of every citizen against arbitrary action by national or state governments

   True        False

2. opinion → the written explanation of the Supreme Court's decision in a particular case

   True        False

3. mootness → the written explanation of the Supreme Court's decision in a particular case

   True        False

4. amicus curiae → a brief, unsigned decision by an appellate court, usually rejecting a petition to review the decision of a lower court

   True        False

5. original jurisdiction → the sphere of a court's power and authority

   True        False