Nsl Final Exam Study Guide
AP NSL EXAM ESSAY STUDY GUIDE
2011
1.
The United States Supreme Court receives many appeals, but it hears and rules on a small percentage of cases each year. Numerous factors influence the actions of the Court, both in deciding to hear a case and in the decisions it hands down. a. Define judicial review. Judicial review is a power held in the Supreme Court to declare legislation, laws, bills, acts, and executive orders unconstitutional. b. Explain how judicial review empowers the Supreme Court within the system of checks and balances. Judicial review gives the Supreme Court power over the legislative and executive branch because the Court can declare something that either branch wants to do unconstitutional. c. Describe the process through which the Court grants a writ of certiorari. The court will order a lower court to send up a certain case for review. To decide if a certain case should come to the Supreme Court, 4 judges have to vote to send it up. This is the rule of four. d. Explain how each of the following influences decisions made by individual justices deciding cases heard by the Court a. Stare Decisis. Stare Decisis can influence judge’s decisions because they will defer to prior Supreme Court decisions and apply the precedent to their current cases and rule based on the past decisions. b. Judicial Activism. Judicial Activism influences the judges decisions because they are influenced by the needs and future of the nation so they are more likely to strike down laws and policies as unconstitutional if it affects the nation. 2. Public opinion polls are a way to link the public with elected officials. Members of Congress often use polls to understand the views of their constituents, but they must also pay attention to other political considerations. a. Identify two characteristics of a valid, scientific, public opinion poll. There are multiple factors that you can observe to see
2011
1.
The United States Supreme Court receives many appeals, but it hears and rules on a small percentage of cases each year. Numerous factors influence the actions of the Court, both in deciding to hear a case and in the decisions it hands down. a. Define judicial review. Judicial review is a power held in the Supreme Court to declare legislation, laws, bills, acts, and executive orders unconstitutional. b. Explain how judicial review empowers the Supreme Court within the system of checks and balances. Judicial review gives the Supreme Court power over the legislative and executive branch because the Court can declare something that either branch wants to do unconstitutional. c. Describe the process through which the Court grants a writ of certiorari. The court will order a lower court to send up a certain case for review. To decide if a certain case should come to the Supreme Court, 4 judges have to vote to send it up. This is the rule of four. d. Explain how each of the following influences decisions made by individual justices deciding cases heard by the Court a. Stare Decisis. Stare Decisis can influence judge’s decisions because they will defer to prior Supreme Court decisions and apply the precedent to their current cases and rule based on the past decisions. b. Judicial Activism. Judicial Activism influences the judges decisions because they are influenced by the needs and future of the nation so they are more likely to strike down laws and policies as unconstitutional if it affects the nation. 2. Public opinion polls are a way to link the public with elected officials. Members of Congress often use polls to understand the views of their constituents, but they must also pay attention to other political considerations. a. Identify two characteristics of a valid, scientific, public opinion poll. There are multiple factors that you can observe to see