Chapter 16 Reading Questions-The Judiciary

  1. What is judicial review? Why is it such an important power? Which Supreme Court case “created” this important power?
  2. What is judicial restraint? What is judicial activism?
  3. Summarize Alexander Hamilton’s opinion of the three branches, as found in Federalist #78.
  4. What was the major interest of the Supreme Court from 1789 until the Civil War? Describe the three cases that helped to determine the answer to the Court’s question.
  5. What was the major interest of the Supreme Court from the end of the Civil War to the New Deal? Summarize the answer to this issue.
  6. Describe FDR’s Court-packing bill. Why did he want this? Why did the Congress reject this plan?
  7. What is the only federal court required by the Constitution? Name and describe the two types of courts created by Congress.
  8. How does party background affect the behavior of judges? Name some other things that affect judge behavior/decision-making.
  9. What is Senatorial courtesy? What is the “litmus test”? How important are these two things at deciding whether a person will become a judge or not?
  10. What are federal-question cases? What are diversity cases?
  11. How does the Supreme Court pick which cases it wants to consider? How does this work?
  12. About how many cases will the Supreme Court consider every year? About how many will they accept?
  13. Why are the courts considered to be the “great equalizer”?
  14. Describe three of the important rules governing standing. How have Congress and the courts made it easier to acquire standing?
  15. What is a class-action suit? Describe the most famous.
  16. Name and describe the four types of opinions that the Supreme Court publishes.
  17. How do the federal courts make policy? What is stare decisis? What is a political question? What is a remedy?
  18. What are some ways that Congress uses checks and balances on the courts?
  19. How does public opinion affect the courts?

Chapter 16 Reading Questions-The Judiciary

  1. What is judicial review? Why is it such an important power? Which Supreme Court case “created” this important power?
  2. What is judicial restraint? What is judicial activism?
  3. Summarize Alexander Hamilton’s opinion of the three branches, as found in Federalist #78.
  4. What was the major interest of the Supreme Court from 1789 until the Civil War? Describe the three cases that helped to determine the answer to the Court’s question.
  5. What was the major interest of the Supreme Court from the end of the Civil War to the New Deal? Summarize the answer to this issue.
  6. Describe FDR’s Court-packing bill. Why did he want this? Why did the Congress reject this plan?
  7. What is the only federal court required by the Constitution? Name and describe the two types of courts created by Congress.
  8. How does party background affect the behavior of judges? Name some other things that affect judge behavior/decision-making.
  9. What is Senatorial courtesy? What is the “litmus test”? How important are these two things at deciding whether a person will become a judge or not?
  10. What are federal-question cases? What are diversity cases?
  11. How does the Supreme Court pick which cases it wants to consider? How does this work?
  12. About how many cases will the Supreme Court consider every year? About how many will they accept?
  13. Why are the courts considered to be the “great equalizer”?
  14. Describe three of the important rules governing standing. How have Congress and the courts made it easier to acquire standing?
  15. What is a class-action suit? Describe the most famous.
  16. Name and describe the four types of opinions that the Supreme Court publishes.
  17. How do the federal courts make policy? What is stare decisis? What is a political question? What is a remedy?
  18. What are some ways that Congress uses checks and balances on the courts?
  19. How does public opinion affect the courts?