Supreme Court Decision-Making Processes Quiz

Affirmed is the term used for a Supreme Court decision that agrees with and upholds the ruling of a lower court.

There are currently nine justices serving on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Sandra Day O'Connor was the first woman to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States, appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

Denial of certiorari is the term used when the Supreme Court decides not to review a lower court's decision, effectively letting the decision stand.

The President of the United States has the authority to nominate justices to the Supreme Court, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Marbury v. Madison established the principle of judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional.

Earl Warren served as Chief Justice during Brown v. Board of Education, where the Court ruled racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

A plurality decision occurs when the justices cannot agree on a single majority opinion, resulting in multiple opinions receiving the most votes.

Obergefell v. Hodges is the case in which the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Plessy v. Ferguson established the 'separate but equal' doctrine, permitting racial segregation in public facilities.

Reynolds v. Sims established the 'one person, one vote' principle, requiring legislative districts to be roughly equal in population.

William Rehnquist was the longest-serving Chief Justice in the history of the United States Supreme Court, serving from 1986 until his death in 2005.

Mapp v. Ohio established the 'exclusionary rule,' which prohibits illegally obtained evidence from being used in court.

Schenck v. United States is the case in which the Supreme Court established the 'clear and present danger' test, allowing limits on free speech if it presents a clear and present danger to society.

In Grutter v. Bollinger, the Supreme Court ruled that the use of affirmative action in university admissions is constitutional, allowing universities to consider race as one factor among many in admissions decisions.