296 PART ThRee • InsTITuTIons of AmeRIcAn GoveRnmenT
testyourself
LO1 Explain the main sources of American law,
including constitutions, statutes and regulations,
and the common law tradition.One important source of American law is:
a. the rights and duties of workers as
expressed in employment agreements.
b. case law based in part on the common law
tradition.
c. case law based in part on the federal
tradition.LO2 Describe the structure of the federal court
system and such basic judicial requirements as
jurisdiction and standing to sue.The distinction between federal district courts
and federal appellate courts can be summarized by
the following statement:
a. federal district courts are trial courts that
hear evidence, but federal appellate courts
do not hear evidence.
b. federal district courts only hear appeals from
federal appellate courts.
c. federal appellate courts only accept cases
involving state constitutions.LO3 Discuss the procedures used by the United
States Supreme Court and the various types of
opinions it hands down.“I’ll take it all the way to the Supreme Court.” A
lawyer cannot truthfully promise this because:
a. the Supreme Court may be too far away from
the state in which the controversy occurred.b. the Supreme Court only hears a limited
number of cases in which a federal question
is involved.
c. the Supreme Court is not in session for a full
twelve months each year.LO4 Evaluate the manner in which federal judges
are selected.The most common occupational position held by
a Supreme Court justice before appointment has
been:
a. U.S. senator.
b. state governor.
c. federal judgeship.LO5 Consider the ways in which the Supreme
Court makes policy, and explain the forces that limit
the activism of the courts.When a federal court declares that a federal or
state law or policy is unconstitutional, that court
is engaging in:
a. judicial review.
b. congressional condemnation.
c. administrative oversight.Essay Question:
What are the benefits of having lifetime
appointments to the United States Supreme Court?
What problems might such appointments cause?
What would be the likely result if Supreme Court
justices faced term limits?Answers to multiple-choice questions: 1. b, 2. a, 3. b, 4. c, 5. a.Access CourseMate at http://www.cengagebrain.com for additional study tools: practice quizzes,
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