THE SUPREME COURT

By Stockton

The third branch of government, the judicial branch, is headed by the Supreme Court. The average citizen knows little about the court's purpose or role in our democracy. The Court's history and traditions are shrouded in mystery; cloaked in darkness. Law students should have a basic understanding of the Supreme Court. However, by their third year, most law students are blissfully ignorant about the land's highest court. If you think you're different, take our test and find out what you know about the Supreme Court.

1. There are nine members of the Supreme Court. The number nine symbolizes:

a) The nine Nazgul;
b) The nine original colonies;
c) Beethoven's Ninth Symphony;
d) Nine innings in a baseball game.


2. The only female member of the Supreme Court is:

a) Sandra Day O'Connor;
b) Ruth Bader Ginsburg;
c) David Souter;
d) None of the above.


3. The Supreme Court was originally called:

a) The High Court;
b) The Court of Last Resort;
c) Bob;
d) Le Court Supreme


4. Which of the following was not a Justice of the Supreme Court:

a) David Davis
b) John Catron
c) Charles Taylor Westbury
d) Robert C. Grier


5. The Supreme Court knows pornography when....:

a) They see it;
b) Mr. Ginsburg seems tired for three or four days in a row;
c) Nino Scalia sports a woody;
d) Rehnquist insists on reviewing the record five times, in private.


6. Everytime the Supreme Court issues a unanimous decision:

a) They Hi-Five each other;
b) An angel gets his/her wings;
c) A kitten dies;
d) A lawyer gets into Heaven.


7. Jackie Robinson is to baseball as Thurgood Marshall is to:

a) Integration;
b) The American legal system;
c) The Supreme Court;
d) Jacki Robinson.


8. If the Supreme Court issued an opinion and no one was there to read it, then:
a) The opinion would not be binding precedent;
b) The opinion would be binding precedent;
c) It would be Obiter Dictum but not Ipsi Dixit;
d) It was written by Justice Kennedy.


9. Which Supreme Court Justice had the silliest name?

a) Mahlon Pitney;
b) Salmon P. Chase;
c) Brockholst Livingston;
d) Lucius Q.C. Lamar;
e) Melville W. Fuller;
f) Rufus Peckham.


10. Under President Franklin Roosevelt's 'Court Packing' plan the Justices would have been:

a) Packed into wooden crates and shipped to an undisclosed location;
b) Forced to hear cases in a really small room;
c) Shrink Wrapped;
d) Carried around Washington D.C. in small pouches by members of the Senate.