AP U.S. Government & Politics Unit 7: The Judiciary Study Guide

Overview

Institutions of National Government- 35-45% - The major formal and informal institutional arrangements of power - Relationships among the four institutions and varying balances of power - Linkages between institutions and the following:

o public opinion and voters o interest groups o political parties o the media o state and local governments

Guiding questions

1. What powers does the judicial branch hold, according to Article III of the Constitution? 2. How have the judiciary’s powers evolved over time, and what tools has the judiciary used to expand its power? 3. How is the judicial branch organized, and how does this impact the political process and policy implementation? 4. What is the relationship between the judicial branch and the other branches of government, and how has the balance

of power shifted over the course of American history? 5. How does the judicial branch interact with political parties, interest groups, the media, and state and local

governments (including types of federalism)? Vocabulary

1. amicus curiae brief 2. appellate jurisdiction vs. original jurisdiction 3. class action suits 4. courts of appeal 5. district courts 6. judicial activism vs. judicial restraint 7. judicial implementation 8. judicial review 9. (written) opinion 10. originalism

11. precedents 12. political questions 13. rule of four* 14. senatorial courtesy 15. solicitor general 16. standing to sue 17. stare decisis 18. statutory construction 19. Supreme Court 20. writ of certiorari

*Vocabulary terms will be provided in notes Government actions All 30 cases listed in Unit 2 and provided in the scanned document entitled “The Top 30 Supreme Court Cases” are eligible for testing in this unit.

Readings from textbook Chapter 15

11/20 – pages 484-498 11/30 – pages 498-509 12/1 – pages 509-517 12/2 – no reading; study for vocab quiz 12/3 – Vocabulary quiz; pages 420-432 12/11 – Tentative date for Unit 7 Exam (with Unit 8)