TEXAS GOVERNMENT LATEST 2026 STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔What is unique about a trial de novo court? - ✔✔No record of the proceeding is kept
✔✔For petit juries, how do jurisdictions collect names for jury selection? - ✔✔from lists
of licensed drivers
from voter registration lists
✔✔How many levels of courts do most state court systems have? - ✔✔three
✔✔______ courts hear all cases involving violations of city ordinances. - ✔✔Municipal
✔✔All of the following are regarded as major criminal cases (felonies) and civil cases
that are heard first at the district court level, except - ✔✔child custody.
✔✔Which of the following are county courts? - ✔✔constitutional county courts
county courts at law
✔✔In Texas, which of the following courts are trial de novo courts? - ✔✔municipal
courts
JP courts
✔✔Primarily ______ states have several courts of appeal. - ✔✔large urban
✔✔Identify all the following courts of last resort in Texas. - ✔✔Texas Supreme Court
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
✔✔In Texas, as in most states, which courts hear major criminal and civil trials? -
✔✔district
✔✔What system of electing judges involves appointment by the governor and a periodic
retention election? - ✔✔Missouri system
merit
✔✔______ courts primarily hear intermediate criminal and civil cases - ✔✔County
✔✔Mr. Smith was found guilty of capital murder in a Texas district court. Because it
involves the death penalty, Mr Smith's case, on appeal, will be heard next by which
Texas court? - ✔✔the Court of Criminal Appeals
✔✔The Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals consist of ______ judges
each, who serve for ______ overlapping terms. - ✔✔nine; six-year
, ✔✔Also known as the Missouri system, ______ is/are a method of judicial selection by
which the governor of a given state appoints judges from a list submitted by a screening
committee of legal officials. - ✔✔the merit system
✔✔In which of the following areas are judges that are appointed by the governor
considered to be weak? - ✔✔responsiveness
✔✔In which states can judges be elected from the legislature? - ✔✔Virginia
South Carolina
✔✔What is the risk in the partisan system of electing judges? - ✔✔Judges are not
independent in their interpretation of the law.
✔✔What restrictions are there on gubernatorial judicial appointments in Texas? -
✔✔There are none.
✔✔Judicial election by the legislature is a system left over from what period of American
history? - ✔✔the colonial era
✔✔What is the current climate in Texas concerning nonpartisan election of judges? -
✔✔It is being seriously considered.
✔✔Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.
In Texas the Court of Criminal _________ focuses on criminal cases, while the Texas
___________ Court focuses on civil cases. - ✔✔Appeals
Supreme
✔✔Under the merit plan, how do judges first assume the bench? - ✔✔They are
appointed by the governor from a list supplied by a judicial panel.
✔✔In states with partisan elections, judges are most likely to be - ✔✔responsive.
✔✔In states where judges are elected by the legislature, who is most likely to be
selected? - ✔✔former legislators
✔✔Switching from a partisan election system to a nonpartisan election system for
judicial selection would result in which of the following? - ✔✔It would eliminate straight-
ticket voting.
It would reduce the cost of campaigns.
✔✔Which of the following accurately describes the result of using the merit system of
judicial appointment? - ✔✔There is little evidence that judges are more competent.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔What is unique about a trial de novo court? - ✔✔No record of the proceeding is kept
✔✔For petit juries, how do jurisdictions collect names for jury selection? - ✔✔from lists
of licensed drivers
from voter registration lists
✔✔How many levels of courts do most state court systems have? - ✔✔three
✔✔______ courts hear all cases involving violations of city ordinances. - ✔✔Municipal
✔✔All of the following are regarded as major criminal cases (felonies) and civil cases
that are heard first at the district court level, except - ✔✔child custody.
✔✔Which of the following are county courts? - ✔✔constitutional county courts
county courts at law
✔✔In Texas, which of the following courts are trial de novo courts? - ✔✔municipal
courts
JP courts
✔✔Primarily ______ states have several courts of appeal. - ✔✔large urban
✔✔Identify all the following courts of last resort in Texas. - ✔✔Texas Supreme Court
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
✔✔In Texas, as in most states, which courts hear major criminal and civil trials? -
✔✔district
✔✔What system of electing judges involves appointment by the governor and a periodic
retention election? - ✔✔Missouri system
merit
✔✔______ courts primarily hear intermediate criminal and civil cases - ✔✔County
✔✔Mr. Smith was found guilty of capital murder in a Texas district court. Because it
involves the death penalty, Mr Smith's case, on appeal, will be heard next by which
Texas court? - ✔✔the Court of Criminal Appeals
✔✔The Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals consist of ______ judges
each, who serve for ______ overlapping terms. - ✔✔nine; six-year
, ✔✔Also known as the Missouri system, ______ is/are a method of judicial selection by
which the governor of a given state appoints judges from a list submitted by a screening
committee of legal officials. - ✔✔the merit system
✔✔In which of the following areas are judges that are appointed by the governor
considered to be weak? - ✔✔responsiveness
✔✔In which states can judges be elected from the legislature? - ✔✔Virginia
South Carolina
✔✔What is the risk in the partisan system of electing judges? - ✔✔Judges are not
independent in their interpretation of the law.
✔✔What restrictions are there on gubernatorial judicial appointments in Texas? -
✔✔There are none.
✔✔Judicial election by the legislature is a system left over from what period of American
history? - ✔✔the colonial era
✔✔What is the current climate in Texas concerning nonpartisan election of judges? -
✔✔It is being seriously considered.
✔✔Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.
In Texas the Court of Criminal _________ focuses on criminal cases, while the Texas
___________ Court focuses on civil cases. - ✔✔Appeals
Supreme
✔✔Under the merit plan, how do judges first assume the bench? - ✔✔They are
appointed by the governor from a list supplied by a judicial panel.
✔✔In states with partisan elections, judges are most likely to be - ✔✔responsive.
✔✔In states where judges are elected by the legislature, who is most likely to be
selected? - ✔✔former legislators
✔✔Switching from a partisan election system to a nonpartisan election system for
judicial selection would result in which of the following? - ✔✔It would eliminate straight-
ticket voting.
It would reduce the cost of campaigns.
✔✔Which of the following accurately describes the result of using the merit system of
judicial appointment? - ✔✔There is little evidence that judges are more competent.
