The State of Texas Government, Politics, and Policy 4th Edition By Sherri Mora – Test Bank

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The State of Texas, 4e (Mora)

Chapter 5 The Court System in Texas

1) Most court cases in Texas deal with

A) criminal complaints.

B) policy questions.

C) controversies between individuals.

D) hypothetical complaints and other questions of law.

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Court Decision Making

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

2) Why does the U.S. have a dual court system?

A) the existence of both Spanish law and English law from the colonial era

B) the federal system of government

C) Article I of the U.S. Constitution

D) the legal principle of stare decisis

Answer: B

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Judicial Federalism

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

1

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.3) Courts differ from legislatures in that

A) courts are easier to access.

B) courts are not checked by the executive branch.

C) courts cannot initiate policy changes.

D) courts are not governed by procedural rules.

Answer: C

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Court Decision Making

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

4) If a court makes a ruling based on a principle established in a previous ruling from another

court, it is an example of

A) policy diffusion.

B) objectivity.

C) prior restraint.

D) stare decisis.

Answer: D

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Court Decision Making

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

5) The strict procedural rules that govern courts

A) limit access to the courts.

B) might disallow evidence gathered in an illegal manner.

C) allow other states to introduce policy questions.

D) allow them to initiate policies.

Answer: B

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Court Decision Making

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

2

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.6) Judges must base their decisions only on the federal and state constitutions, statutes, and

earlier court decisions. This concept is called

A) stare basis.

B) originality.

C) objectivity.

D) procedurism.

Answer: C

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Court Decision Making

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

7) What is the most important difference between trial and appellate courts?

A) deciding points of fact versus points of law

B) the level of citizen participation

C) the number of judges

D) jurisdiction

Answer: A

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

8) In Texas, appellate courts

A) decide whether procedure was followed.

B) determine guilt or innocence.

C) depend on high levels of citizen participation.

D) are local and limited.

Answer: A

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

3

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.9) Justices of the peace (JP courts) in Texas can do all of the following EXCEPT

A) issue arrest warrants.

B) serve as small claims courts.

C) hear criminal misdemeanor cases.

D) create records of proceedings for county courts to review.

Answer: D

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

10) A justice of the peace court is a(n)

A) appellate court.

B) trial court.

C) magistrate court.

D) district court.

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

11) What are the two kinds of county courts?

A) constitutional county courts and county courts at law

B) trial courts and appellate courts

C) misdemeanor courts and felony courts

D) primary and secondary jurisdiction courts

Answer: A

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

4

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.12) Cases heard in trial de novo courts can be appealed

A) two times only.

B) for any reason.

C) if one party is a minor.

D) only based on matters of procedure.

Answer: B

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

13) In most states, which courts hear major criminal and civil cases?

A) district courts

B) major trial courts

C) superior courts

D) All of these answers are correct.

Answer: D

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

14) A murder case would most likely first be tried in a(n)

A) district court.

B) county court.

C) appellate court.

D) magistrate court.

Answer: A

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

5

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.15) In Texas, criminal appeals involving the death penalty are heard by

A) the Court of Appeals.

B) superior courts.

C) the Court of Criminal Appeals.

D) district courts.

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

16) What is the highest court for criminal cases in Texas?

A) the Court of Appeals

B) the Texas Supreme Court

C) the Court of Criminal Appeals

D) both the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

17) The merit system used to identify and select judges is also known as

A) the Missouri system.

B) retention election.

C) the partisan election system.

D) the gubernatorial appointment system.

Answer: A

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Judicial Selection

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

6

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.18) The highest number of states’ courts use which method for selecting trial court (including

municipal level) judges?

A) merit plan

B) partisan election

C) nonpartisan election

D) appointment by the governor

Answer: B

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Judicial Selection

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

19) Across all fifty states, the most common method for selecting state Supreme Court judges is

A) partisan elections.

B) appointment by governor.

C) Missouri plan.

D) nonpartisan elections.

Answer: C

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Judicial Selection

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

7

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.20)

According to Figure 5.5, what is the most common way of selecting appellate court judges?

A) partisan election

B) appointment by governor

C) legislative election

D) merit plan

Answer: D

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Judicial Selection

Bloom’s: Analyze

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

8

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.21) The lowest number of states select judges through

A) a merit plan.

B) legislative election.

C) nonpartisan election.

D) appointment by the governor.

Answer: B

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Judicial Selection

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

22) How are appellate court judges selected in Texas?

A) the Missouri system

B) retention election

C) partisan election

D) gubernatorial appointment

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Judicial Selection in Texas

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

23) How are trial court judges selected in Texas?

A) the Missouri system

B) retention election

C) partisan election

D) gubernatorial appointment

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Judicial Selection in Texas

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

9

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.24) Most voters go to the election booth with scant knowledge about the qualifications of judicial

candidates, and they often end up voting

A) on advice from a trusted family friend.

B) for the first name in a list of candidates.

C) by name familiarity.

D) only on issues that they are familiar with, skipping the judicial candidates.

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

25) What is the most often called-for fix to the problems caused by straight-ticket voting in

Texas?

A) nonpartisan elections

B) partisan elections

C) legislative election

D) appointment by governor

Answer: A

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

26) Judges appointed by governors are typically

A) more responsive and more competent.

B) more competent and less responsive.

C) more independent and more responsive.

D) less independent and less responsive.

Answer: B

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Is There a Best System for Judicial Selection?

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

10

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.27) In merit systems, appointed judges rarely lose retention elections because

A) the appointed judge does not run against an opponent.

B) interest groups are prohibited from campaigning against them.

C) they occur so rarely that voters typically aren’t aware they are happening.

D) the appointed judge only needs 33 percent of the vote to stay in office.

Answer: A

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Judicial Selection

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

28) In 1984, many incumbent Democratic judges lost their seats in large urban counties to

unknown Republican challengers because of

A) straight-ticket voting.

B) the move toward two-party competitiveness.

C) gerrymandering.

D) the cyclical off-year election trend.

Answer: A

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

29) How many elections must a judge win prior to being seated on the bench under the Texas

partisan election system?

A) 0

B) 1

C) 2

D) 3

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

11

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.30) Which of the following types of Texas judges are selected by partisan elections?

A) trial and appellate court judges

B) trial court judges

C) appellate court judges

D) municipal judges

Answer: D

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Judicial Selection in Texas

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

31) Which of the following bodies or individuals has some power to remove a Texas judge from

office?

A) the Texas Senate

B) the Texas governor

C) the Texas Supreme Court

D) All of these answers are correct.

Answer: D

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Judicial Selection in Texas

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

32) Which of the following is true of typical grand juries?

A) They stay in session for one year.

B) They ideally serve to prevent arbitrary excesses by prosecuting attorneys.

C) They typically conduct independent investigations into the facts of a case.

D) They are usually limited to screening minor cases.

Answer: B

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: The Legal System

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

12

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.33) Which method of judicial selection leads to the highest degree of judicial responsiveness?

A) election by legislature

B) merit/Missouri method

C) nonpartisan election

D) appointment by governor

Answer: C

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: Is There a Best System for Judicial Selection?

Bloom’s: Analyze

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

34) Which method of judicial selection leads to the lowest level of judicial competence?

A) appointment by governor

B) merit/Missouri method

C) election by legislature

D) partisan election

Answer: D

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: Is There a Best System for Judicial Selection?

Bloom’s: Analyze

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

35) Which method of judicial selection leads to the lowest degree of judicial independence?

A) appointment by governor

B) merit/Missouri method

C) election by legislature

D) partisan election

Answer: D

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: Is There a Best System for Judicial Selection?

Bloom’s: Analyze

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

13

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.36) All of the following are concerns about Texas judicial selections EXCEPT that

A) straight-ticket voting can give Republican judges an advantage.

B) vacancies from death or resignation require expensive special elections.

C) voters often choose based on familiarity rather than qualifications.

D) the need for campaign donations might impact judicial impartiality.

Answer: B

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

37) The Frontline program entitled “Justice for Sale” highlighted how eight justices on the Texas

Supreme Court in 1994 had received

A) approximately $475,000 in donations.

B) almost $1 million in donations.

C) between $3 million and $4 million in donations.

D) more than $9 million in donations.

Answer: D

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

38) According to a 2006 Texans for Public Justice study, the Texas Supreme Court

A) is no more likely to hear cases filed by large contributors.

B) is more than seven times more likely to hear cases filed by large contributors.

C) is about twice as likely to hear cases filed by large contributors.

D) is less likely to hear cases filed by large contributors.

Answer: B

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

14

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.39) As of 2017, what percentage of all Texas judges are female?

A) 24 percent

B) 35 percent

C) 44 percent

D) 54 percent

Answer: B

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

40) As of 2017, ________ of Texans identify as Hispanic or Latino, while ________ of all

judges in the state identify as Hispanic.

A) 43.5 percent; 43.5 percent

B) 15 percent; 43.5 percent

C) 39.1 percent; 17 percent

D) 23 percent; 15 percent

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

41) Of the following, who is most likely to be appointed to his or her initial seat on the court in

Texas?

A) a supreme court justice

B) a district court judge

C) the justice of the peace

D) a municipal court judge

Answer: D

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: Judicial Selection in Texas

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

15

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.42) Which method of judicial selection is a system left over from colonial America?

A) partisan election

B) election by the legislature

C) appointment by the governor

D) nonpartisan election

Answer: B

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: Judicial Selection

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

43) Which method for removing judges for misconduct is used by the fewest states?

A) impeachment

B) recall elections

C) removal by the governor after a hearing

D) removal by the legislature

Answer: C

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: Removing and Disciplining Judges

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

44) Texas uses ________ to review the facts and decide whether enough evidence exists to try

cases.

A) Article 32 hearings

B) grand juries

C) administrative hearings

D) both grand juries and administrative hearings

Answer: D

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: The Legal System

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

16

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.45) The Texas Government Code allows jurisdictions to draw upon which source(s) for jury

selection?

A) registered voters only

B) licensed drivers only

C) jury pool volunteers only

D) both registered voters and licensed drivers

Answer: D

Difficulty: 1 Easy

Section: The Legal System

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

46) What kind of criminal case is a county court most likely to hear?

A) appeal

B) misdemeanor

C) felony

D) None of these answers is correct.

Answer: B

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Remember

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

17

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.47) Texas has two Supreme Courts because

A) the extremely high population size would overwhelm one state supreme court.

B) it divides its courts of last resort between criminal and civil cases.

C) it divides its courts of last resort between judges that are elected by partisan means and those

who are appointed.

D) it has one that deals only with constitutional issues and one that deals only with criminal

issues.

Answer: B

Difficulty: 2 Medium

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

48) Discuss the two kinds of state courts and the principle ways they differ from each other.

Answer: Answers will vary.

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

49) Which Texas courts can hear appeals, and what types of appeals do they hear?

Answer: Answers will vary.

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: The Structure of State Courts

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

18

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.50) Discuss how the partisan judicial election system could contribute to a judiciary that is more

responsive to concerns of large corporations and law firms versus those of the common citizen.

Answer: Answers will vary.

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

51) Examine the Texas partisan judicial elective system and why it might be better called an

“appointive-elective” system.

Answer: Answers will vary.

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: Judicial Selection in Texas

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

52) What factors often hinder the selection of the best possible judges in Texas? How could the

judicial selection process be reformed to mitigate these factors?

Answer: Answers will vary.

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: Judicial Selection; Judicial Selection in Texas; Is There a Best System for Judicial

Selection?

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

19

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.53) In what ways can Texas judges be disciplined or removed from office, and for what reasons?

Answer: Answers will vary.

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: Removing and Disciplining Judges

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

54) What are the two types of juries? Explain each, how they function, and how the jury pool is

formed.

Answer: Answers will vary.

Difficulty: 3 Hard

Section: The Legal System

Bloom’s: Understand

Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Texas Standards: LO-4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial

branches of Texas government.

Chapter: The Court System in Texas

20

Copyright 2019 © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior

written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.