Court Systems and Jurisdiction Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the Federal Court System?

A single court without any tiers
The three-tiered structure of the federal courts (correct)
The structure of state courts
The Supreme Court only

What typically constitutes a state court system?

A single appellate court
Three court levels (correct)
Only trial courts
Two court levels

What does jurisdiction refer to?

The territory, subject matter, or people over which a court may exercise lawful authority.

What is original jurisdiction?

The lawful authority of a court to hear or to act on a case from its beginning and to pass judgment on the law and the facts. Signup and view all the answers

What is appellate jurisdiction?

The lawful authority of a court to review a decision made by a lower court. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'trial de novo' refer to?

Cases that are retried on appeal. Signup and view all the answers

What is a 'challenge for cause'?

A method used to remove impartial prospective jurors from the jury pool during the jury selection process. Signup and view all the answers

What is an appeal?

The request that a court with appellate jurisdiction review the judgment. Signup and view all the answers

What is a complaint in a criminal process?

The document that initiates the criminal process by serving as the charging document for the preliminary hearing. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AOUSC) do?

Prepares the budget and legislative agenda for the federal courts and manages court statistics. Signup and view all the answers

What is a jury panel?

Individuals selected from the jury pool for a particular case. Signup and view all the answers

What is a jury pool?

The list of names from which actual jurors will be chosen. Signup and view all the answers

What is judicial review?

The power of the court to review actions and decisions made by other agencies of government. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during a first appearance?

The legality of the defendant's arrest is assessed and the defendant is informed of the charges. Signup and view all the answers

What is a bench trial?

A trial in which a judge, rather than a jury, renders a decision. Signup and view all the answers

What is booking?

An administrative procedure involving the entry of the suspect's name, arrest time, offense charged, and taking of fingerprints and photographs. Signup and view all the answers

What is a writ of certiorari?

An order from the Supreme Court to a lower court to send the record up. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'voir dire' mean?

French for 'to see to speak', referring to the jury selection process. Signup and view all the answers

What is 'venire'?

Selection of the jury pool. Signup and view all the answers

What is the rule of four?

The number of justices who must vote to hear a case. Signup and view all the answers

What is an affidavit?

A document stating the facts relied upon to create probable cause. Signup and view all the answers

What is a jury consultant?

Professionals who help attorneys determine which type of person is likely to favor the defense or prosecution. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'habeas corpus' mean?

"You have the body"; it challenges the legality of confinement. Signup and view all the answers

What is the appointment method in selecting judges?

The oldest method of selecting judges by the chief executive of the jurisdiction. Signup and view all the answers

What is an Alford plea?

A plea in which the defendant enters a guilty plea but denies having committed the crime. Signup and view all the answers

What is a grand jury?

A group of jurors sworn to hear evidence and determine whether there is sufficient evidence to bring the accused to trial. Signup and view all the answers

What is an indictment?

A formal, written accusation submitted to a court by a grand jury, alleging that a specified person has committed a specified offense. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during a preliminary hearing?

Three matters are decided: whether a crime was committed, if it occurred within the court's jurisdiction, and if there are reasonable grounds for believing the accused committed the crime. Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Federal and State Court Systems

Federal court system is a three-tiered structure: U.S. District Courts, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
State court system generally includes three levels: trial courts, appellate courts, and a state supreme court.

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction refers to the authority a court has over a territory, subject matter, or individuals.
Original jurisdiction allows a court to hear a case from the beginning and make judgments on the law and facts.
Appellate jurisdiction enables a court to review decisions made by lower courts.

Court Processes

Trial de novo means cases are retried on appeal, offering a fresh look at the evidence and law.
Appeals are requests for a court with appellate jurisdiction to review a judgment, notably automatic in death sentences or life imprisonment.

Legal Documents and Actions

A complaint initiates the criminal process, serving as the charging document for a preliminary hearing.
An affidavit outlines the facts used to establish probable cause for legal actions.

Jury Selection and Trials

Jury panels are selected from the jury pool (venire) for specific cases.
Challenges for cause are methods used to eliminate biased jurors during selection.
A bench trial involves a judge instead of a jury making the decision.

Judicial Review and Legal Authority

Judicial review is the court's power to assess actions and decisions from other governmental agencies.
Writ of certiorari is an order from the Supreme Court to a lower court to send case records for review.

Initial Court Appearances

First appearance assesses the legality of a defendant's arrest and informs them of the charges; bail may be set.
Booking involves recording a suspect's data, including arrest details and personal identification.

Specialized Legal Professionals

Jury consultants aid attorneys by identifying juror characteristics that may impact case outcomes.

Legal Concepts and Terms

Habeas corpus challenges the legality of a person’s confinement, asserting that detention is unlawful.
Indictment is a formal allegation from a grand jury stating sufficient evidence to bring a person to trial.
An Alford plea allows a defendant to plead guilty while maintaining innocence of the crime.

Grand Jury and Preliminary Hearings

A grand jury evaluates evidence to determine if there’s enough for a trial.
Preliminary hearings involve deciding if a crime was committed, occurred in the right jurisdiction, and if there’s reasonable cause for charges.

Court Administration

The Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AOUSC) manages federal courts' budgets, statistics, and strategic planning.

Court Procedures and Rules

The rule of four requires four justices to agree to hear a case before the Supreme Court.
Voir dire is the process of questioning jurors to establish their impartiality, encompassing both challenges for cause and peremptory challenges.

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