The Federal Judiciary: The Supreme Court and Lower Courts MCQs USA

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1. Which article of the U.S. Constitution establishes the judicial branch? a) Article I b) Article II c) Article III d) Article IV Answer: c) Article III 2. How many justices serve on the Supreme Court of the United States? a) 7 b) 9 c) 11 d) 13 Answer: b) 9 3. Who has the authority to appoint Supreme Court justices? a) The Senate b) The House of Representatives c) The President d) The Chief Justice Answer: c) The President 4. Which of the following is NOT a type of jurisdiction held by the Supreme Court? a) Original jurisdiction b) Appellate jurisdiction c) Advisory jurisdiction d) Exclusive jurisdiction Answer: c) Advisory jurisdiction 5. What is the primary function of the Supreme Court of the United States? a) To legislate b) To enforce laws c) To interpret laws and the Constitution d) To conduct investigations Answer: c) To interpret laws and the Constitution 6. Which Supreme Court case established the principle of judicial review? a) Marbury v. Madison b) Brown v. Board of Education c) Roe v. Wade d) Dred Scott v. Sandford Answer: a) Marbury v. Madison 7. How long is the term for a federal judge, including Supreme Court justices? a) 4 years b) 6 years c) 8 years d) Life tenure Answer: d) Life tenure 8. Which court is the highest court in the federal judicial system? a) U.S. District Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals c) U.S. Supreme Court d) U.S. Court of Federal Claims Answer: c) U.S. Supreme Court 9. Which type of court has original jurisdiction in cases involving disputes between states? a) U.S. Court of Appeals b) U.S. District Court c) U.S. Supreme Court d) State Supreme Court Answer: c) U.S. Supreme Court 10. Who confirms the President’s appointments to the Supreme Court? a) The House of Representatives b) The Senate c) The Chief Justice d) The Supreme Court itself Answer: b) The Senate 11. Which type of jurisdiction allows a court to hear a case for the first time? a) Appellate jurisdiction b) Original jurisdiction c) Exclusive jurisdiction d) Concurrent jurisdiction Answer: b) Original jurisdiction 12. Which court hears appeals from the U.S. District Courts? a) U.S. Supreme Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals c) U.S. Court of Federal Claims d) U.S. Tax Court Answer: b) U.S. Court of Appeals 13. Which court has jurisdiction over cases involving claims against the federal government? a) U.S. District Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals c) U.S. Court of Federal Claims d) U.S. Supreme Court Answer: c) U.S. Court of Federal Claims 14. Which landmark case ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional? a) Plessy v. Ferguson b) Brown v. Board of Education c) Loving v. Virginia d) Gideon v. Wainwright Answer: b) Brown v. Board of Education 15. What is the name of the document that outlines the duties and powers of the Supreme Court justices? a) The Federalist Papers b) The Bill of Rights c) The U.S. Constitution d) The Declaration of Independence Answer: c) The U.S. Constitution 16. Which Chief Justice presided over the Marbury v. Madison case? a) John Marshall b) Roger B. Taney c) Earl Warren d) William Rehnquist Answer: a) John Marshall 17. Which court is known as the “court of last resort”? a) U.S. District Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals c) U.S. Supreme Court d) U.S. Court of International Trade Answer: c) U.S. Supreme Court 18. Which court reviews decisions made by federal agencies? a) U.S. District Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit c) U.S. Supreme Court d) U.S. Court of International Trade Answer: b) U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit 19. How are federal judges appointed? a) By election b) By appointment by the President with Senate confirmation c) By appointment by the Chief Justice d) By appointment by the House of Representatives Answer: b) By appointment by the President with Senate confirmation 20. Which type of court handles bankruptcy cases? a) U.S. District Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals c) U.S. Bankruptcy Court d) U.S. Court of Federal Claims Answer: c) U.S. Bankruptcy Court 21. Which court deals with maritime and admiralty cases? a) U.S. District Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals c) U.S. Court of Federal Claims d) U.S. Court of International Trade Answer: a) U.S. District Court 22. What is the primary function of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit? a) To hear appeals from the U.S. Tax Court b) To handle patent and trademark cases c) To review decisions from the U.S. District Court d) To oversee federal criminal cases Answer: b) To handle patent and trademark cases 23. Which case established the “separate but equal” doctrine? a) Marbury v. Madison b) Plessy v. Ferguson c) Brown v. Board of Education d) Roe v. Wade Answer: b) Plessy v. Ferguson 24. What is the primary role of a federal magistrate judge? a) To handle serious criminal cases b) To oversee trials involving the Constitution c) To assist district judges with preliminary matters d) To hear appeals from lower courts Answer: c) To assist district judges with preliminary matters 25. Which Supreme Court case established the exclusionary rule? a) Mapp v. Ohio b) Miranda v. Arizona c) Gideon v. Wainwright d) Escobedo v. Illinois Answer: a) Mapp v. Ohio 26. Who is responsible for writing the opinion of the Court in a Supreme Court case? a) The Chief Justice b) The Justice who is assigned the opinion c) The President d) The Senate Answer: b) The Justice who is assigned the opinion 27. Which of the following courts is NOT part of the federal judiciary? a) U.S. District Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals c) State Supreme Court d) U.S. Supreme Court Answer: c) State Supreme Court 28. Which court has the power to review decisions made by federal regulatory agencies? a) U.S. Supreme Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit c) U.S. District Court d) U.S. Bankruptcy Court Answer: b) U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit 29. Which case ruled that the right to an attorney is a fundamental right under the Constitution? a) Gideon v. Wainwright b) Miranda v. Arizona c) Mapp v. Ohio d) Brown v. Board of Education Answer: a) Gideon v. Wainwright 30. Which court is responsible for handling cases involving international trade? a) U.S. District Court b) U.S. Court of Appeals c) U.S. Court of International Trade d) U.S. Bankruptcy Court Answer: c) U.S. Court of International Trade 31. What is the main purpose of the U.S. Sentencing Commission? a) To draft legislation for sentencing b) To oversee the sentencing of federal offenders c) To handle appeals related to sentencing d) To investigate sentencing trends Answer: b) To oversee the sentencing of federal offenders 32. What does the term “amicus curiae” mean in legal terms? a) A legal argument presented by a party to a case b) A brief submitted by a friend of the court c) A document outlining the facts of a case d) A written opinion by a judge Answer: b) A brief submitted by a friend of the court 33. Which amendment guarantees the right to a fair trial and an impartial jury? a) First Amendment b) Fourth Amendment c) Fifth Amendment d) Sixth Amendment Answer: d) Sixth Amendment 34. Which court is responsible for reviewing military justice cases? a) U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces b) U.S. District Court c) U.S. Supreme Court d) U.S. Court of International Trade Answer: a) U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces 35. Which landmark case addressed the issue of same-sex marriage? a) Obergefell v. Hodges b) Loving v. Virginia c) United States v. Windsor d) Baker v. Nelson Answer: a) Obergefell v. Hodges 36. What is the role of the Chief Justice of the United States? a) To preside over the Senate b) To represent the judiciary in Congress c) To lead the Supreme Court and set its agenda d) To appoint federal judges Answer: c) To lead the Supreme Court and set its agenda 37. Which of the following is a requirement to be a federal judge? a) Must be a U.S. citizen b) Must be at least 40 years old c) Must have served as a state judge d) There are no specific requirements Answer: d) There are no specific requirements 38. How are decisions made in the Supreme Court? a) By majority vote of the justices b) By consensus among the justices c) By the Chief Justice alone d) By appointment from the President Answer: a) By majority vote of the justices 39. Which Supreme Court case expanded the rights of the accused during interrogation? a) Miranda v. Arizona b) Gideon v. Wainwright c) Mapp v. Ohio d) Escobedo v. Illinois Answer: a) Miranda v. Arizona 40. In which year was the U.S. Constitution ratified? a) 1776 b) 1787 c) 1791 d) 1801 Answer: b) 1787 41. Who wrote the Federalist Papers, which advocated for the ratification of the Constitution? a) Thomas Jefferson b) James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay c) Benjamin Franklin d) George Washington Answer: b) James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay 42. Which case ruled that the Constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion? a) Roe v. Wade b) Planned Parenthood v. Casey c) Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization d) Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt Answer: c) Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization 43. What does the term “precedent” refer to in legal contexts? a) A new law established by Congress b) A previous court decision that influences future cases c) A summary of a legal argument d) A request for the Supreme Court to review a case Answer: b) A previous court decision that influences future cases 44. Which Supreme Court case established the “one person, one vote” principle? a) Baker v. Carr b) Reynolds v. Sims c) Shaw v. Reno d) Bush v. Gore Answer: b) Reynolds v. Sims 45. What is the purpose of a writ of certiorari? a) To request a higher court to review a case b) To formally charge a defendant c) To issue a ruling on a case d) To enforce a previous judgment Answer: a) To request a higher court to review a case 46. Which of the following is a right protected by the First Amendment? a) Right to bear arms b) Freedom of speech c) Right to a fair trial d) Right against unreasonable searches Answer: b) Freedom of speech 47. What is the “Supremacy Clause” in the Constitution? a) It establishes the President as the highest authority b) It states that federal law prevails over state law c) It guarantees the right to vote d) It protects individual rights Answer: b) It states that federal law prevails over state law 48. What is the main purpose of the Bill of Rights? a) To outline the structure of government b) To protect individual liberties from government infringement c) To define the powers of Congress d) To establish the judiciary Answer: b) To protect individual liberties from government infringement 49. Which court case determined that “separate but equal” facilities were constitutional? a) Brown v. Board of Education b) Plessy v. Ferguson c) Loving v. Virginia d) Gideon v. Wainwright Answer: b) Plessy v. Ferguson 50. In which amendment is the right to bear arms addressed? a) First Amendment b) Second Amendment c) Third Amendment d) Fourth Amendment Answer: b) Second Amendment

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