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40 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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How can the Constitution be changed? |
By adding amendments. |
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Why is our government called a "federal system of government"? |
Because our government shares its power and responsibilities with the individual states. |
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What are the three branches of government? |
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. |
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How does the Supreme Court check the other two branches of government? |
By declaring a law (that was passed by Congress; legislative branch, or signed by the President; executive branch) unconstitutional. |
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What is the length of term for a Supreme Court Justice? |
Life. |
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What are the courts that make up our federal court system? |
The Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts, and the U.S. Claims Court. |
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What is "judicial review"? |
The process of checking laws in our land. |
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How many justices serve on the Supreme Court at the current time? Why is this number so important? |
9. This number is important because it is odd; an "odd" number is necessary to insure majority decision.
(Example: If 8 people are trying to decide between pizza or spaghetti for dinner, and 5 vote pizza and 3 vote spaghetti, the majority decision is pizza. If 4 vote pizza and 4 vote spaghetti, there is no majority decision. You cannot ALWAYS reach a majority decision with "even" amount of people.) |
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What is jurisdiction? |
The power to hear cases. |
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What are the requirements of a Supreme Court justice? |
There are no requirements. |
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What is the name of the highest and most important court in the United States? |
The Supreme Court. |
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True or False: There are no laws that are reserved for the state governments. |
False. |
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True or False: Congress does not have the means to "check" the Supreme Court. (Remember: Congress = Senate and House of Representatives) |
False. |
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The power of the Supreme Court is "checked" by the other two branches when the ________ nominates individuals to be Supreme Court justices, and the _______ approves them. |
President/Congress. |
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What is one of the major duties of the Supreme Court? |
To make sure all laws are constitutional. |
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What is the outcome of a Supreme Court decision determined by? |
A majority vote or decision. |
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Is the U.S. Grand Jury Court a lower court in the Federal Court System? |
No. |
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What is the Judicial Branch? |
One of the three branches of government. |
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What does the Judicial Branch have the power to do? |
To interpret laws and apply them to court cases. |
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What is the Supreme Court? |
The only court created by the United States Constitution and the final interpreter of the United States Constitution; they determine whether laws are constitutional or not. |
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What is the Bill of Rights? |
The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. |
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What is original jurisdiction? |
The power of a court to hear a case first. |
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What is appellate jurisdiction? |
The power of a court to hear a case only after it has gone through the lower court system. |
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What is an appeal? |
A request for a case to be transferred to a higher court for a rehearing. |
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What does the legislative branch do? |
Make the laws. |
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What does the judicial branch do? |
Interprets/explains the laws. |
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What does the executive branch do? |
Carries out the laws. |
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What are the titles of the men and women who serves on the high court? |
Justices. |
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How many district courts are there? |
91. |
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What is the name of courts that report to the Supreme Court? How many are there? |
Appeals courts. There are 12. |
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What are the names of the other courts that make up the Federal Judicial System? (Hint: There are three.) |
Court of Military Appeals, United States Tax Court, and the United States Claims Court. |
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What is a writ of certiorari? |
A formal request for the Supreme Court to hear a case. |
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What does unconstitutional mean? |
To go against the Constitution of the United States. |
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What is treason? |
Carrying war of the United States and helping the nation's enemies. |
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Which branch of government does the Supreme Court belong in? |
The Judicial Branch. |
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What does it mean when the Supreme Court declares a law "unconstitutional"? |
The law is void. Since the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, any law that is made after this HAS to be constitutional. If not, it will not be a law. |
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What is an example of an act of treason? |
Trying to harm the President. |
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What must happen in court for a person to be convicted of treason? |
Two witnesses must testify to the same story and/or the accused must confess in the courtroom. |
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What does "amend" mean? |
To change or revise. |
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What does "ratify" mean? |
To formally approve. |
