Judicial Branch Study Guide

Judicial Branch Study Guide

• Dissenting Opinion: A statement disagreeing with the majority opinion in a court case.
• Concurring Opinion: A statement agreeing with the majority opinion, but for different reasons.
• Writ of Certiorari: A formal writ used by the Supreme Court to call up a case from a lower court for review.
• Judicial Review: The power of the courts to review laws and government actions to determine their constitutionality.
• Briefs: Written arguments presented by lawyers to the court in a legal case.
• Plaintiff: The party bringing the lawsuit.
• Defendant: The party being sued.
• Precedent: A court decision that serves as an example or authority for deciding similar cases in the future.
• Judicial Activism: When judges actively shape laws and/or the interpretation of the law to reflect their policy preferences.
• Judicial Restraint: When judges are reluctant to overturn prior interpretations of law.
• Criminal Case: A legal case involving a crime.
• Civil Case: A legal dispute between two or more parties that does not involve a crime.
• Jurisdiction: The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case.
• Original Jurisdiction: The power of a court to hear a case for the first time.
• Appellate Jurisdiction: The power of a court to review decisions made by lower courts.
• Steps to become a Federal Judge: Process to become a federal judge (details not included).
• Size of Supreme Court: Specific details on number of Supreme Court justices are not included.
• What Presidents Look For: Criteria used when nominating federal judges are not detailed.
• Federal Judge Term Length: Term length for federal judges is unknown.
• First Female Supreme Court Justice: Specifics are not included.
• First African American Supreme Court Justice: Specifics are not included.
• Article III: Specifics on the article are not included.
• Senatorial Courtesy: Specifics on senatorial courtesy are not included.
• Number of Cases Heard by Supreme Court: Case selection criteria and number of cases actually selected are not presented in detail.
• Solicitor General: Role of the Solicitor General is not presented, but mentioned.
• "Rule of Four": Decision-making criterion of the Supreme Court regarding case selection.
• Marbury v. Madison: Case establishing the principle of judicial review.
• Role of the Senate Judiciary Committee: Role of the committee relevant to the selection process for federal judges.
• Judicial Implementation: The process by which judicial decisions are applied and implemented.
• Amicus Curiae Briefs: Documents submitted by interested parties who are not directly involved in a case but have relevant expertise.
• Stare Decisis: The legal principle of adhering to precedent.

Test your knowledge on the essential concepts of the Judicial Branch. This guide covers key terms like dissenting opinion, judicial review, and the roles of plaintiffs and defendants. Prepare yourself for a deeper understanding of how the judicial system operates.