Courts settle ___________ disputes between private parties, a private party and the government, or the United States and a state or local government.

In a __________ trial, witnesses present evidence and a jury or a judge delivers a verdict of guilt or innocence.

All accused people have the right to a public trial and a _____________.

Accused people are considered innocent until _______________.

A person may ask for a review of their case by a higher court if they think the court has made a mistake. This review is called a(n) ____________.

A _________ is a specially-called group of citizens who hears the government’s evidence against accused persons and decides whether the evidence is strong enough for a trial to be held.

____________ are the federal courts where trials are held and lawsuits are begun.

For all federal cases, district courts have _________________, the authority to hear the case for the first time.

_____________ are required to list specific items that the authorities want to take.

____________ review decisions made in lower district courts.

_______________ is the authority to hear a case appealed from a lower court.

Each of the 12 U.S. courts of appeals covers a particular geographic area called a _________.

The main job of the nation's top court is to decide whether laws are allowable under the _________________.

The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction only in cases involving _____.

The Court chooses the cases it hears through the _________________.

The president appoints Supreme Court justices, with _______ approval.

_______________ is the power to say whether any law or government action goes against the Constitution.

Congress can get around a Court ruling by passing a new law, changing a law ruled unconstitutional, or ______________________.

The Court accepts only cases that involve a(n) __________ question.

___________ is a promise that the men will not run away if they are released, and that they will show up at future court proceedings.

The ________ is limited – he can issue search warrants, set bonds, and hear initial pleadings from suspects. (sometimes a judge does this)

If Sam would plea guilty, the government would ask for a lesser sentence in exchange for his testimony against John. This is an example of a(n) ___________.

The opposing attorneys gathered evidence and interviewed people they might call to testify. The two sides exchange witness lists and the evidence they obtained. This step is called the ___________.

This Supreme Court decision established one of the more important principles of American Constitutional Law. The Supreme Court held that it is the Court itself that has the final say on what the Constitution means. This is what is known today as Judicial Review. This means that the Supreme Court can decide if any of the branches of government has violated the Constitution.

This court decision made it clear that the president was not above the law. The Supreme Court held that only those presidential conversations and communications that relate to performing the duties of the office of president are confidential and protected from a judicial order of disclosure. The Supreme Court ordered the president to give up incriminating tapes. After this decision the president resigned from office.

In the late 1800’s an African American man was arrested for sitting on an all whites section of a rail car. This gentleman appealed the case to the U.S. Supreme Court stating that it was against his Constitutional rights to be separated due to his race. The Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment’s clause required only equal public facilities for the two races, not equal access to the same facilities. This decision created the “separate but equal doctrine” that dominated the U.S.

The Supreme Court held that a person in police custody cannot be questioned unless told that: 1) he or she has the right to remain silent, 2) he or she has the right to an attorney (at the government expense if the accused is unable to pay), and 3) anything the person says after stating that he or she understand these rights can be used as evidence of guild at trial. This warning will protect the accused from unknowingly giving up their Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.

This case expanded the federal government’s authority over state governments. The Supreme Court ruled that the “necessary and proper “clause of the Constitution allowed Congress to pass laws that will help it to achieve its duties.

This court case involved censorship of a document known as the Pentagon Papers by President Nixon. The court decision upheld the doctrine of prior restraint. Prior restraint protects the press from government attempts to block publication.

The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation of public schools violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. This court decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision and desegregated public schools in the United States.

This court case challenged restrictive abortion laws in states such as Georgia and Texas. The Supreme Court ruled that females have the Constitutional right to decide whether or not to terminate a pregnancy. This decision legalized abortions in the U.S.

The Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution requires the states to provide defense attorneys to criminal defendants charged with serious offenses who cannot afford lawyers themselves.

35. A jury must reach an unanimous verdict of guilty _______________in order to convict a defendant.

What piece of legislation established the federal court system by dividing the country into federal judicial districts, creating district courts and courts of appeals?

Which of the following is not a reason why a potential juror would be dismissed from a case?