3A.4.2 Appointment process for the Supreme Court Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Politics, Unit 3

The 20 questions

1. Which US official has the power to nominate Supreme Court justices?

   • Senate majority leader
   • The president
   • House speaker
   • The chief justice

2. What margin of Senate vote is required to confirm a Supreme Court justice?

   • Unanimous consent
   • Three-fifths majority
   • Simple majority
   • Two-thirds majority

3. What constitutional tenure do US Supreme Court justices hold?

   • Life tenure
   • Ten-year term
   • Four-year term
   • Six-year term

4. What key action does the Senate Judiciary Committee perform during confirmation?

   • Drafts legislation
   • Conducts hearings
   • Appoints nominees
   • Signs commissions

5. Why is Senate involvement in justice appointments seen as a process strength?

   • Provides democratic scrutiny
   • Eliminates political bias
   • Guarantees complete neutrality
   • Ensures swift confirmation

6. What is widely considered a major weakness of the US Supreme Court appointment process?

   • Partisan confrontation
   • Unconstitutional delays
   • Excessive term limits
   • Lack of scrutiny

7. What term describes a justice who frequently holds the deciding vote in split rulings?

   • Originalist justice
   • Swing justice
   • Associate justice
   • Chief justice

8. The Court has 5 conservative and 4 liberal justices. A conservative retires and is replaced by a liberal. What is the new split?

   • 4 conservative and 5 liberal
   • 6 conservative and 3 liberal
   • 5 conservative and 4 liberal
   • 3 conservative and 6 liberal

9. Which factor most strongly influences a US president when selecting a Supreme Court nominee?

   • Prior elective office
   • Personal wealth
   • Home state popularity
   • Judicial ideology

10. What formal qualifications does the US Constitution state for Supreme Court justices?

    • US-born requirement
    • Minimum age 35
    • No formal requirements
    • Law degree required

11. Why might a Supreme Court justice's decisions disappoint the president who nominated them?

    • Electoral pressure
    • Judicial independence
    • Congressional oversight
    • Mandatory term limits

12. What is the Senate's formal constitutional role in the appointment of justices called?

    • Concurrent jurisdiction
    • Advice and consent
    • Executive privilege
    • Original jurisdiction

13. Which congressional body holds confirmation hearings for nominated Supreme Court justices?

    • House Judiciary Committee
    • Senate Judiciary Committee
    • Senate Rules Committee
    • House Rules Committee

14. The rejection of Robert Bork's Supreme Court nomination in 1987 was mainly due to

    • Lack of qualification
    • Ideological opposition
    • Constitutional age limits
    • Financial corruption

15. Under the US Constitution, how long do Supreme Court justices serve?

    • For life
    • Eight years
    • Ten years
    • Four years

16. What is a likely result for a Supreme Court nominee if the opposition controls the Senate?

    • Immediate confirmation
    • Presidential dismissal
    • Rejection or delay
    • Automatic approval

17. Which body sets the total number of US Supreme Court justices?

    • State legislatures
    • Congress
    • The Constitution
    • The President

18. Who presides over a US presidential impeachment trial in the Senate?

    • Chief Justice
    • Vice President
    • House Speaker
    • Attorney General

19. Why is the Supreme Court appointment process criticised regarding democracy?

    • Frequent elections
    • Lack of accountability
    • Short term limits
    • Excessive public voting

20. Which judicial philosophy is most associated with a liberal Supreme Court justice?

    • Originalism
    • Living constitution
    • Judicial restraint
    • Strict constructionism

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