POSC 100 Spring 2017 (Final Multiple Choice) Exam - - - Study Guide

The Judiciary See Chapter 8 of American Government text book

Plaintiff (files the case or law suit) Defendant (defends against complaint)
Difference between:
Criminal Law traffic to murder possible prison
District Atty acts as government - plaintiff for criminal case
Civil Law no possibility of prison may pay damages

Deciding a case Apply statutes, laws, and PRECEDENT = prior decisions

Stare decisis let the decision stand
Public Law Government is the defendant power of right of citizens under the Constitution

Supreme Court
No specific number of justices Congress has the authority to add or remove
Senatorial Courtesy
President nominates candidate to the Supreme Court Goes to Senate Judiciary Committee for hearings
advice and consent of the Senate (remember that? checks and balances!)
Opinion (of the court)
Assignment of OPNION makes difference in interpreting the ruling.
Dissenting Opinion
Writ of certiorari
RULE OF 4
Circuit Courts there are 12 CA in 9th District Court of Appeals (conservative or liberal justices in
the 9th Circuit?
www.uscourts.gov/Educationalresources/FederalCourt
Basics/CourtStructure/jurisdictionofstateandfederalcourts.aspx
Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices:
Chief Justice his name
Associate Justices be able to name at least 2
Judicial Review
Textualist or orignalist vs. the Constitution as a living document.
Judicial activism
Judicial restraint
Standing
Amicus curiae (this is in here twice I must really want to you to know what it means!)
Oral Argument
Concurrence (or concurring opinion)
Dissent (or dissenting opinion)
Pg. 282 of your text book: conservative / liberal
The role of lobbyists - how do they shape legislation?
Rule of Law
Divided government
Federalism
The role of government on all levels with regard to your group project
California state and local government (see your CA Politics text book):
Why do we owe a debt of gratitude to the Chinese laborers brought to CA by the Southern Pacific
Railroad?
The last names of the Big Four? (hint: one was Leland Stanford)
The Progressive Movement of 1911.
Hiram Johnson
William Mullholland
Earl Warren once our governor, later he was.and were it not for him, Brown vs. the Board may well
have been decided differently!
The so called fourth branch of Californias state legislature? (hint: Madison called them factions)
Californias direct democracy the initiative (2 types), the referendum (2 types) [ these are called
Propositions ]- and the recall
O C is known as a donor countyonly 6 cents of every tax dollar sent to Sacramento is returned to
the county for public services, education, etc.
Josh Newman is being targeted for recall. He visited our class and avoided what? Why? He is was elected
as his districts representative to which statewide legislative body in Sacramento?
If political parties in CA are weak, who (or what) ends up with the power?
State Assembly how many members term length term limits (see Proposition 140)
State Senate know the same as above for the Assembly
How many counties in California?
What do we call the legislative body that governs counties?
What do we call the legislative body that governs cities?
There are approximately 3,400 special districts in California be able to name at least 2. (See Orange
County LAFCO website)
What is vector control and what do they do?
Hey, what IS LAFCO?
The most important power of local government?
To become part of a city, unincorporated county land must first be within that citys sphere of influence,
then be annexed by the city, then incorporated into the citythe final determination however is made by
a majority vote of the people in the city where the new land will be incorporated. LAFCOs website may
explain this better than thistry it.
The Brown Act
Who is the governor of California? Was the above piece of legislation named for him?
Bipartisan
Partisan
Californias local elections are not partisan. Candidates for local office cannot state their party affiliation
on their campaign materials (although candidate for state-wide office are not held to this provision). This
is due to what middle class social movement?
Introduction of a bill into Congress is only possible by a member of Congress. Its the same in
Californias state legislature. Isnt it?
Look up Californias Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) who is the Executive Director? His first name is
Mac.
What business had virtually total control of Californias politics prior to the Progressive Movement?
Who were the Big Four? Rememberone was Leland Stanford. (last names OK)
What middle class social movement ended the power of the Big Four?
The fundamental difference between the California Constitution and the Constitution of the United
States is See page 23 of your Democracy in California text book.
Party identification is prohibited for all but See page 24 of your text book.
Look up Californias Prop 14 top two primary, both on the internet and in your text book pg. 53.

The number of signatures needed to place an initiative on the California ballot is determined by the
number of voters who participated in the previous.?
Well, that depends. Is the initiative (Proposition) a statutory initiative or a constitutional initiative?
Whats the difference (5% vs. 8% of what?)
Which House impeaches the president? Then what?
General Law form of city/county government
Charter Law form of city/county government
Which of these two are most of the cities and counties in California?
Weak mayor
Strong mayor this is the elected executive. Which is LAs mayor? Whats his name?
Who is your mayor?
Who is permitted to attend a city council meeting in California?
Your government can kill you. But first it must give you _____________?
Professors dog is named _____________, she is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Very cute.
Dred Scott case - 1857
Plessy vs. Ferguson - 1896
Brown vs. the Board of Education - 1954
Mendez vs. Westminster - 1947 see documentary posted on Titanium.
Marbury vs. Madison 1803
How the Electoral College Works (youtube.com) and then WHY the Founders thought it a good idea (it
is).
Amicus curiae
Habeas corpus
The Supreme Court is the court of last resort
California is in the ______ Circuit Court of Appeals, and is known for its left-leaning decisions.
Well, I know we covered MUCH more than I have here, but you get the idearead your text books Am
Govt and Democracy in CA. Study in groups, help each other and remember that you can always contact
me. Of course, I am not going to do the seeking the answers for you, I am only going to clarify concepts,
etc.