ACT 6 READING QUESTIONS
NAME ________________________________________ BLOCK __________ DUE DATE ____________
Reading Section One: Civil and Criminal Process
1. Courts handle two kinds of cases: ____________________ and ___________________________.
2. Criminal cases are where a ___________________________________________.
3. Civil Cases involve __________________________________________________.
4. There are two types of crimes that criminal cases could deal with: _________ and _________.
5. Which two amendments protect citizens accused of crimes? What is the difference between the two
amendments?
6. Name 5 protections accused criminals are guaranteed through Due Process.
7. What are the two things that police can have to arrest someone?
__________________ or a _____________________
8. What happens to the defendant after he is arrested and processed at the police station?
9. What THREE things happen at an arraignment?
10. What can a defendant do if he is found guilty and thinks that the court has made a mistake?
11. Civil cases involve a _____________________, who is a person who feels they have been wronged.
12. The steps in a civil case are…
Step One: Plaintiff files a ___________________
Step Two: Case may be heard by the _________ or _____________.
Step Three: If the plaintiff or defendant doesn’t like the judge’s decision, they can ________ to a higher
court
Reading Section Two: Federal Court System
1. What does jurisdiction mean?
2. What are the two types of jurisdiction? What do they mean?
3. Where do most cases begin in the Federal Court system?
4. What kind of jurisdiction do Federal District Courts have?
5. What courts are above the Federal District Courts and hear the appeals from the District Courts? What
type of jurisdiction do these courts have if they only hear appeals?
6. What is the highest court in the dual court system?
7. What types of jurisdiction does the US Supreme Court have?
8. List three types of cases that would be heard in the Federal Court System.
Reading Section Three: State Court Structure
1. What document organizes the state court system? __________________________________
2. List the levels of the Virginia Court system.
3. The Supreme Court has both limited ______________ jurisdiction and ___________________
jurisdiction.
4. If a case is appealed from the Circuit Court of Virginia then where in the Virginia Court system would
the appeal be heard?
5. The Virginia District Court system consists of the ___________________ and
___________________________.
6. Mr. Buffone borrowed $20,000 from Mr. Z to buy a new car. Mr. Buffone never paid Mr. Z back so se
decided to sue Mr. Buffone. Which court would hear this civil case?