AP AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
Unit 5: The Judiciary
4/8 - 4/16
UNIT 5 CONTENT MAP
Activist Approach
Adversarial Legal System
 Amicus Curiae
Blue Slip
“Bork”
Brief
Circuit Court
 Class Action Suit
 Concurring Opinion
 Courts Of Appeals
Civil Law
 Criminal Law

Common Law System
Code Law System
Dissenting Opinion
District Courts
 Diversity Cases
Federal Question Cases
Inquisitorial System
Judicial Review
Legislative Court
Litmus Test
Opinion Of The Court
Original Jurisdiction
Per Curiam Opinion

 Plaintiff
Political Question
 Stare Decisis: Precedent
 Remedy
Senatorial Courtesy
Sovereign Immunity
Standing
Strict Constructionist
Writ Of Certiorari

 Court Cases:
Marbury v Madison
 McCulluch v Maryland
WEEK 12
4/8 - 4/12
LESSON IN CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
Monday
Lesson 1
  • Review Unit 4 Test

Bring: Electronic Device for Chapter GRQs on Wednesday!
Tuesday
Lesson 2

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What are the constitutional functions and powers of the Judicial branch?

  • Breakdown of the US Constitution
    • Article III

Bring: Electronic Device for Chapter GRQs!

Assignment:  GRQ Unit 5

A great reference is the official US Senate Annotated Constitution linked here!

Work in groups, but answers must be In Your Own Words.

This WILL be used for the GRQ quiz on Tuesday.
Wednesday
Lesson 3

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What is the organizational structure and jurisdiction of the Judicial branch?

  • Organization of Federal Courts
  • Jurisdiction of Federal Courts
  • Selection of Justices

 Read:  Magelby 24th,  Chapter 14 pp. 381-385 The Judiciary (This is Chapter 11, pp. 330-336 in the Brief Edition)

Quick Notes: Unit 5 Powerpoint Part 1 The Judiciary
Thursday
Lesson 5

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How are Justices selected?

West Wing: The Supremes

Video Questions:

  • What is Toby Ziegler’s concern about Chief Justice Ashland?
  • Why does Chief Justice Ashland feel he has to stay on the Supreme Court as long as possible?
  • What is one reason that might make it difficult for the President to nominate an activist judge to the Supreme Court?
  • What THREE Litmus Test Questions might be asked of potential Justices during their interviews?
  • Based on the descriptions and arguments of Judge Baker-Lang , is she an ‘activist’ or ‘strict constructionist’?
  • How does Judge Shelton describe a ‘moderate’?
  • What are Josh Lyman’s arguments against nominating a ‘moderate’?
  • What does Lyman mean when he advocates a ‘balanced court’?
  • Based on the descriptions and arguments of Judge Mulready, is he an ‘activist’ or ‘strict constructionist’
  • What is D.O.M.A.? 
  • Why does Judge Mulready believe D.O.M.A. is unconstitutional? 

*Alternate Assessment: Watch Democracy in American #9: The Courts and the Rule of Law and answer the following questions:
  1. Identify and explain the differences between criminal and civil courts.
  2. Describe the variety of court systems in America.
  3. Discuss the vital role that courts play in the American system.
  4. Explain the origins of judicial power and describe the controversy over its use.
  5. Explain how judges are selected in the various American court systems
  6. Why was the trial of the police officers moved out of Los Angeles?
  7. Why wasn't the federal trial of the officers considered double jeopardy?
  8. What are the advantages to having overlapping court systems? What are the disadvantages?
  9. Should the Supreme Court have intervened in this controversy?
  10. Does the Supreme Court's decision enhance the image of courts as nonpolitical?
  11. What would the founders have thought of the power exercised by the Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore? Is this what they envisioned for the Federal court system?
  12. How does the California judicial selection system differ from that used for federal judges?
  13. Did the retention elections in 1986 demonstrate a threat to judicial independence or does it demonstrate a valid exercise of the public's right to hold judges accountable?
  14. How should judges be selected?
Read:  Magelby 24th,  Chapter 14 pp. 386-392 The Judiciary (This is Chapter 11, pp. 336-344 in the Brief Edition)

Watch:  West Wing: The Supremes

Be prepared to answer a short quiz based on the questions listed during the video, and discuss the answers.
Friday
Lesson 5
 Half-Day

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What resources are needed to bring a case to the Supreme Court?

  • Procedure of Federal Courts
  • Development of Federal Court's Power
  • Controversy over the Supreme Court

 Read:  Magelby 24th,  Chapter 14 pp. 392-393 The Judiciary (This is Chapter 11, pp. 344-347 in the Brief Edition)

Quick Notes: Unit 5 Powerpoint Part 2 The Judiciary

Quiz: Open GRQ quiz on Article III
WEEK 13
4/15 - 4/17
LESSON IN CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
Monday
Lesson 6

You will be responsible for one of the following three essays:

  1. The judicial branch is often assumed to be insulated from politics. However, politics affects many aspects of the judiciary.

    1. Describe two political factors that affect presidents’ decisions to appoint members of the federal judiciary.

    2. Identify two political factors that affect the confirmation process of a president’s nominees and explain how each factor complicates a confirmation.

    3. Explain how one legislative power serves as a check on court decisions.

    4. Explain how one executive power serves as a check on court decisions.

  2. 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.

    1. Define judicial review.

    2. Explain how judicial review empowers the Supreme Court within the system of checks and balances.

    3. Describe the process through which the Court grants a writ of certiorari.

    4.  Define and explain how each of the following influences decisions made by individual justices when deciding cases heard by the Court.

    • Stare decisis

    • Judicial activism

    1. The judicial branch is designed to be more independent of public opinion than the legislature and the executive. Yet the United State Supreme Court rarely deviates too far for too long from prevailing public opinion.

      1. Identify and describe two ways in which the United State Supreme Court is insulated from public opinion.

      2. Identify and explain how two factors work to keep the United States Supreme Court from deviating too far from prevailing public opinion.

      3. Should Congress set term limits for Supreme Court Justices?  Explain your reasoning (be specific).

Review Unit 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5: Use online chapter notes, GRQs, and Textbook site practice section quizzes.
Tuesday
Lesson 7

Unit 5 Test

Bring:  Pencil for Unit 5 test;

This test will consist of 35 multiple choice questions, 5 definition questions, and one brief essay from the material and concepts in Units 1-5.

The test will be counted out of 50 points.