Texas judiciary quiz

Which Texas court hears appeals from justices of the peace and from municipal courts?

• statutory county courts at law

• district court

• probate court

• the county commissioner 

statutory county courts at law

Courts that can review matters relating to probate, which is the disposition of estates and property of deceased people, are referred to as what?

• statutory probate courts

• statutory county courts

• constitutional probate courts

• district courts

statutory probate courts

Approximately what percentage of justices of the peace in Texas are lawyers?

• 25 percent

• 10 percent

• 75 percent

• 50 percent

25 percent

To win their cases in a Texas civil preponderance of the evidence

• The standard will vary across different trial courts due to the patchwork of overlapping authority and jurisdiction in Texas courts.

• clear and convincing evidence

preponderance of the evidence

What does it mean to say that courts in Texas have “overlapping jurisdictions”?

• This means the appeals process is set up so that the authority of a higher court is more important than that of lower courts

• This means that judges are tasked with both addressing the issue before them and doing so in a way that upholds relevant Texas laws

• This describes the fact that a judge should hear from both the plaintiff(s) and defendant(s) in every case.

• This refers to circumstances where a given issue or lawsuit could be heard by two or more different court

This refers to circumstances where a given issue or lawsuit could be heard by two or more different court

In Texas, veterans’ courts, DWI courts, and drug courts are types of

• reform courts

• municipal courts

• speciality courts

• statutory county courts at law

speciality courts

Grand juries in Texas are primarily used to

• make determinations of guilt or innocence in trials where the death penalty may be assigned

• review evidence in light of a prosecutor's accusations and decide if there is sufficient evidence to continue to a full trial

• consider whether the negative actions of a member of the Texas Bar Association are deserving of a reprimand or fine

• assist the governor in selecting individuals to be appointed to judicial posts

review evidence in light of a prosecutor's accusations and decide if there is sufficient evidence to continue to a full trial

What types of cases does the Texas Supreme Court hear?

• civil appeals

• both trial and appeals in tort-law cases

• final appeals on all civil and death penalty cases

• appeals on civil and criminal cases

civil appeals

Most judges in Texas are selected by

• the governor, but they must be approved by the Texas Senate.

• incumbent judges, who weigh the merits of individual judicial candidates.

• members of the Texas Bar Association.

• the voters in a partisan election.

the voters in a partisan election.

An indictment is also known as a

• felony

• guilty verdict 

• true bill

• capital case

true bill

Under a merit plan for selecting judges,

• the House nominates candidates for judicial positions who are then confirmed by the Senate.

• a blue-ribbon commission recommends several people to the governor as possible nominees, the governor nominates one of those individuals who must then be confirmed by the Senate, and after about a year in office, the judge must run in a retention election.

• voters play an even larger role in determining who serves as a judge in Texas.

• the candidates' qualifications for office appear next to their names on the ballot so that voters can make informed decisions.

a blue-ribbon commission recommends several people to the governor as possible nominees, the governor nominates one of those individuals who must then be confirmed by the Senate, and after about a year in office, the judge must run in a retention election.

Municipal courts in Texas have jurisdiction over

• traffic violations outside the city.

• violations of city ordinances.

• class A misdemeanors that are violations of federal law committed within the city limits.

• third-degree felonies committed within the city limits.

violations of city ordinances.

Who can file a complaint with the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct?

• the public, attorneys, and members of the judiciary

• only individuals who are licensed to practice law in Texas

• only elected officials

• only members of the judiciary

the public, attorneys, and members of the judiciary

To help ensure that Texans have relatively easy access to justice, the Texas Constitution requires each county in Texas to have how many district courts?

• at least 1 in rural counties and at least 10 in urban counties

• at least 1 court for every 250,000 residents in the county

• at least 5

• at least 1

at least 1

Where are county courts located?

• in counties that are outside the jurisdiction of the Texas Supreme Court

• mostly in rural parts of Texas

• only in counties with a population of at least 1 million

• in every county of Texas

in every county of Texas

Courts of appeal have the authority to do what?

• review the decisions of lower courts to determine whether legal principles and court procedures were followed correctly

• suspend habeas corpus

• hear all cases from across the state, regardless of reasoning

• review the abilities of lower court justices

review the decisions of lower courts to determine whether legal principles and court procedures were followed correctly

In civil cases, a(n) __________ is filed against the person who is accused of causing harm. That person can then file a/an __________ challenging those claims.

• indictment; response

• charging document; retort

• affidavit; appeal

• complaint; answer

complaint; answer

Which of the following is one of the few requirements individuals must satisfy if they wish to serve on either the Texas Supreme Court or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals?

• They must have graduated from an accredited law school in the United States.

• They must not hold other elective office in Texas.

• They must be at least 40 years old.

• They must have at least 10 years of experience as a judge or practicing lawyer.

They must have at least 10 years of experience as a judge or practicing lawyer.

County judges in Texas preside over

• the county commissioners' court.

• the county court of appeals.

• statutory courts.

• the district court for that county.

• the county commissioners' court.

The State Bar of Texas is an unusual organization because

• it is a professional organization, but it also performs functions on behalf of the government, such as disciplining members for violating ethical standards and rules.

• it is the first bar association in the United States to certify lawyers in the legal specialization known as "barratry."

• it is under the control of the Texas Attorney General's Office.

• it is the only agency in Texas that is responsible for enforcing codes of conduct for both lawyers and judges.

it is a professional organization, but it also performs functions on behalf of the government, such as disciplining members for violating ethical standards and rules.

In Texas, a justice of the peace court would be the appropriate venue for a case that

• is determining whether an accused individual has committed an act of terrorism.

• is investigating the commission of a second-degree felony.

• raises questions of federal laws and violations of the U.S. Constitution.

• involves a defendant accused of running a red light

involves a defendant accused of running a red light

Which court in Texas has automatic jurisdiction over all death penalty cases?

• the district court

• the justice of the peace court

• the Texas Supreme Court

• the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

For a defendant to be found guilty in a criminal case, the judge and jury must be convinced

• based on a preponderance of the evidence.

• that the defendant would almost certainly commit a crime again in the future.

• according to rules agreed to in advance by the judge and plaintiff(s).

• beyond a reasonable doubt.

beyond a reasonable doubt.

District courts in Texas usually have ________ jurisdiction, meaning that they hear a broad range of civil and criminal cases.

• general

• limited

• specific

• mid-tier

general

Civil law focuses on __________, while criminal law focuses on __________.

• disputes between individuals that are often remedied through monetary compensation; violations of criminal statutes that can be remedied through jail time or monetary compensation

• matters involving juveniles; matters involving adults

• cases centering around financial losses; cases centering around tort, barratry, and felonies

• violations of local ordinances; violation of federal and state laws

disputes between individuals that are often remedied through monetary compensation; violations of criminal statutes that can be remedied through jail time or monetary compensation