GOVT 2306 CH. 8 – Flashcards
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The primary trial court in Texas is the __________?
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District Court
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Convicting a defendant on a felony charge in Texas __________.
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requires a unanimous jury verdict
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_______ typically handle cases concerning things such as traffic tickets
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Justice of the peaceand municipal courts
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What was the result of the Texas Supreme Court ruling in the 1989 Edgewood school case?
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It ordered basic changes in the financing of public K-12 education in order to provide more equity between rich and poor school districts.
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The authority of a court to try or resolve a civil lawsuit or a felony prosecution being heard for the first time is known as ____________.
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original jurisdiction
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A plea bargain results when the defendant negotiates ________.
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with prosecutors to plead guilty in exchange for a lighter sentence than he or she might receive if convicted in a trial
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If stricter limits were placed on campaign funds that judicial candidates could raise from lawyers and special interests, which of the following would be the most likely result?
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improving public confidence in the impartial of the judiciary
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Even minor disputes in lower courts can be costly and time-consuming because _________.
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they often require professional assistance from a lawyer
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Federal Courts have been leaders in ______________.
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protecting civil and political liberties
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When a case reaches an appellate court _____________.
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judges review the case to determine if the lower courts conformed to constitutional and statutory law
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Most municipal courts and justice of the peace courts ________.
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are not courts of record
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Most criminal activities are defined and their punishments established in the __________
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Penal Code
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Under the _________ ruling, police are required by the courts to inform us of our rights.
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Miranda
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Unlike federal judges who are appointed by the president to life terms, state judges in Texas, except for those on municipal courts, are_________.
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elected to limited terms in partisan elections
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Texas has a bifurcated court system at its highest level in which_________.
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the Texas Supreme court handles civil cases and the Court of Criminal Appeals handles criminal cases
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Under both the US and the Texas Constitutions, a person charged with a crime is presumed _________________.
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innocent until the state an prove guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to a judge or jury
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Petit juries ___________.
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are the juries for which most people are likely to be called to serve
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What is the primary purpose of the Texas Supreme Court?
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to decide on civil appeals and develop administrative producers for state courts
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Both the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals?
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have nine justices who are elected for six year staggered terms
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Why did Texas create constitutional County Courts?
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They were created by the Texas to serve the needs of the sparsely populated rural society that existed in Texas then
