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Test review for Judiciary exam

(It’s so hard your brain will leap from your skull and hide underneath something heavy)

Federalist #78

            Main arguments

            Why the judiciary is not a threat

            Why the judiciary is needed

            Why the court is ultimately democratic

Judicial review

            Acts of Congress -- Marbury v Madison

            Acts of the states -- Fletcher v Peck, Judiciary Act of 1789, Supremacy Clause

            Where does it come from?

Stare decisis – or the impact of precedent

Common law

Differences between criminal and civil law

Structure of the appeals court system -- who establishes

Structure of the Supreme Court

            # of judges (set by whom)

            function of chief justice

Procedures of the Supreme Court

    function of clerks, solicitors general

            Deciding to review

                        Criteria

                        Likelihood

                        Discretion

            Review

                        Certiorari and habeas corpus writs

                        Per curiam rejections or opinions

Decision writing

                        Majority, concurrent, dissent opinions

Limitations on the court

    Jurisdiction

    Cases and controversies

    Mootness

            Standing

                        Class action

                        Amicus briefs

    Enforceability

Court history

            Trends in the Warren, Burger, and Rehnquist courts

Judicial philosophy

Judicial Restraint vs Judicial Activism

“Liberal” decisions vs “Conservative” decisions (weaknesses of this model)

Textualism, originalism, developmentalism, legal positivism, and balancing