• 54 questions

AP Gov Judicial Branch Practice Test

Unofficial practice on the federal judiciary for AP Government: Article III, judicial review, precedent and the checks on the courts.

The judicial branch is set up by which article of the Constitution?

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the College Board. Bank checked October 10, 2026.

Next step Next: the executive branch in AP GovAll of Unit 2: Congress to the courts

All 54 questions

Topic 2.8: Article III and the federal courts 12

  • A case may begin in the Supreme Court itself, with no lower court first, when it involves which of these? U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 2 (National Archives transcript); course topic 2.8
  • A party loses a federal trial and appeals. What question does the court of appeals answer? United States Courts, "Court Role and Structure" and United States Courts, "Appeals"; course topic 2.8
  • A person is charged with a federal crime. In which kind of federal court is the trial held? United States Courts, "Court Role and Structure"; course topic 2.8
  • How can a federal judge be removed from office? U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 4 (National Archives transcript) and U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 2 (National Archives transcript) and U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 3 (National Archives transcript); course topic 2.8
  • How does a person become a justice of the Supreme Court? U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 2 (National Archives transcript) and United States Courts, "About the Supreme Court"; course topic 2.8
  • How many justices sit on the Supreme Court today, and who sets that number? United States Courts, "About the Supreme Court"; course topic 2.8
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Topic 2.8: Article III and the federal courts, continued

  • The judicial branch is set up by which article of the Constitution? U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 1 (National Archives transcript) and AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.8.A.1; course topic 2.8
  • What is appellate jurisdiction? Wikipedia, "Marbury v. Madison"; course topic 2.8
  • What limit does Article III place on how long a confirmed federal judge may serve? U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 1 (National Archives transcript); course topic 2.8
  • What vote in the Senate is needed to confirm a nominee to the Supreme Court? Wikipedia, "Nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court of the United States" and U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 2 (National Archives transcript); course topic 2.8
  • Which federal courts does the Constitution itself create? U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 1 (National Archives transcript); course topic 2.8
  • Which protection does Article III give the salary of a sitting federal judge? U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 1 (National Archives transcript); course topic 2.8

Topic 2.8: Judicial review and Federalist No. 78 12

  • Besides acts of Congress and of the president, what else can the Supreme Court strike down through judicial review? United States Courts, "About the Supreme Court"; course topic 2.8
  • Critics said judicial review would make judges superior to the legislature. How does Federalist No. 78 answer? Federalist No. 78 (Avalon Project, Yale Law School); course topic 2.8
  • Federalist No. 78 says the judiciary "must ultimately depend upon the aid of the executive arm." For what? Federalist No. 78 (Avalon Project, Yale Law School); course topic 2.8
  • In Marbury v. Madison, what did the Court find unconstitutional? Wikipedia, "Marbury v. Madison"; course topic 2.8
  • In the words of Federalist No. 78, which branch "holds the sword" and which "commands the purse"? Federalist No. 78 (Avalon Project, Yale Law School); course topic 2.8
  • In which required case did the Supreme Court first claim the power to declare an act of another branch unconstitutional? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, required Supreme Court cases; course topic 2.8
  • On what grounds does Federalist No. 78 rank the judiciary as the branch least able to threaten rights? Federalist No. 78 (Avalon Project, Yale Law School); course topic 2.8
  • What is judicial review? United States Courts, "About the Supreme Court"; course topic 2.8
  • What remedy does Federalist No. 78 give the courts against a statute that contradicts the Constitution? Federalist No. 78 (Avalon Project, Yale Law School); course topic 2.8
  • Where does the Constitution state the power of judicial review? United States Courts, "About the Supreme Court"; course topic 2.8
  • Which required foundational document calls the judiciary the "least dangerous" branch? Federalist No. 78 (Avalon Project, Yale Law School) and AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, required foundational documents; course topic 2.8
  • Why does Federalist No. 78 argue for permanent tenure for judges? Federalist No. 78 (Avalon Project, Yale Law School); course topic 2.8

Topic 2.9: Precedent and stare decisis 7

  • Brown v. Board of Education (1954) overruled, in part, the Court's own 1896 decision in Plessy v. Ferguson. What does this show about precedent? Wikipedia, "Brown v. Board of Education" and AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.9.A.2; course topic 2.9
  • How can a president's appointments lead the Supreme Court to set new precedents? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.9.A.2; course topic 2.9
  • What does Federalist No. 78 say keeps judges from using "arbitrary discretion"? Federalist No. 78 (Avalon Project, Yale Law School); course topic 2.9
  • What does following precedent do for the law? Wikipedia, "Precedent"; course topic 2.9
  • What is stare decisis? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.9.A.1; course topic 2.9
  • Which opinion of the Supreme Court sets the precedent that lower courts must follow? Wikipedia, "Majority opinion" and Wikipedia, "Dissenting opinion"; course topic 2.9
  • Why must a federal district court follow a ruling of the Supreme Court on the same legal question? Wikipedia, "Precedent"; course topic 2.9

Topic 2.10: The Court in action 12

  • A justice agrees with the outcome of a case but not with the majority's reasoning. What may that justice write? United States Courts, "Supreme Court Procedures"; course topic 2.10
  • A party asks the Supreme Court to review a lower court's decision. What must the Court do? United States Courts, "About the Supreme Court" and United States Courts, "Supreme Court Procedures"; course topic 2.10
  • How do most cases reach the Supreme Court? United States Courts, "Supreme Court Procedures"; course topic 2.10
  • How many of the nine justices must vote to accept a case for review? United States Courts, "Supreme Court Procedures"; course topic 2.10
  • In the study of a Supreme Court case, what is the "holding"? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, table of Supreme Court case terms; course topic 2.10
  • What is an amicus curiae brief? United States Courts, "Supreme Court Procedures"; course topic 2.10
  • What is the legal effect of a dissenting opinion? Wikipedia, "Dissenting opinion"; course topic 2.10
  • What is the main purpose of life tenure for judges? Wikipedia, "Life tenure"; course topic 2.10
  • Who decides which justice writes the opinion of the Court? United States Courts, "Supreme Court Procedures"; course topic 2.10
  • Who usually argues before the Supreme Court when the United States is a party to a case? United States Courts, "Supreme Court Procedures"; course topic 2.10
  • Why does life tenure for justices fuel debate over the Supreme Court's power? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.10.A.1 and Wikipedia, "Judicial independence"; course topic 2.10
  • Why is the Supreme Court able to issue rulings that are unpopular with voters? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.10.A.1; course topic 2.10

Topic 2.11: Checks on the judicial branch 11

  • A bill would bar the Supreme Court from hearing appeals in one class of cases. Which words of the Constitution do its sponsors cite? U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 2 (National Archives transcript) and Wikipedia, "Jurisdiction stripping" and AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.11.B.1; course topic 2.11
  • A justice writes that the Court should adhere to existing precedent and should not strike down a law unless it must. Which view is this? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.11.A.1 and Wikipedia, "Judicial restraint"; course topic 2.11
  • After Brown v. Board of Education, many states delayed the desegregation of their schools for years. Which limit on the Supreme Court does this show? Wikipedia, "Brown v. Board of Education" and AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.11.B.1; course topic 2.11
  • Congress disagrees with how the Supreme Court has read a federal statute. What can Congress do? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.11.B.1; course topic 2.11
  • How can a president influence the Supreme Court's future decisions? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.11.B.1 and U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 1 (National Archives transcript); course topic 2.11
  • In 1793 the Supreme Court let a citizen of one state sue another state in federal court. What did the Eleventh Amendment then do? Wikipedia, "Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution" and U.S. Constitution, Eleventh Amendment (National Archives transcript); course topic 2.11
  • In 1895 the Supreme Court struck down a federal income tax. The Sixteenth Amendment, ratified in 1913, gave Congress the power to tax incomes. Which check on the Court does this show? Wikipedia, "Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution" and U.S. Constitution, Sixteenth Amendment (National Archives transcript) and AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.11.B.1; course topic 2.11
  • What became of the court-packing plan of 1937? Wikipedia, "Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937" and United States Courts, "About the Supreme Court"; course topic 2.11
  • What would the "court-packing plan" of 1937 have done? Wikipedia, "Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937"; course topic 2.11
  • Which check on the judicial branch belongs to the Senate alone? U.S. Senate, "About Nominations" and U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 2 (National Archives transcript); course topic 2.11
  • Which view of judicial review is called judicial activism? AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, essential knowledge 2.11.A.1; course topic 2.11

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the judicial branch topics of Unit 2, Interactions Among Branches of Government, in the College Board's AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description, effective fall 2026, https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-us-government-and-politics-course-and-exam-description.pdf, read 2026-10-10: topics 2.8 The Judicial Branch, 2.9 The Role of the Judicial Branch, 2.10 The Court in Action and 2.11 Checks on the Judicial Branch. Each fact was read on 2026-10-10 in the public page named under its question: the National Archives transcripts of the Constitution and its amendments, Federalist No. 78 at the Avalon Project of Yale Law School, pages of the United States Courts, the Supreme Court and the U.S. Senate, the course description itself, and Wikipedia. Licence: Own work. Short quotations from the public documents named under each question.

How it works

This AP Gov judicial branch practice test has 54 questions of our own on the federal courts, from Article III to the checks on the Supreme Court. It is unofficial and not affiliated with or endorsed by the College Board.

Read the full guide

What the questions cover

The College Board's course description, effective fall 2026 and read October 10, 2026, puts the judicial branch in Unit 2, topics 2.8 to 2.11. The bank follows them: the judicial branch (24 questions, half on Article III and half on judicial review and Federalist No. 78), precedent (7), the Court in action (12) and checks on the judicial branch (11). The description gives topics no weights, so the spread is ours.

Sources you can open

Constitution questions quote the National Archives transcript, and Federalist No. 78 questions the Avalon Project text. The rest cite a United States Courts or Senate page, the course description or a Wikipedia article.

  • Federalist No. 78 and Article III are the two documents the description ties to topic 2.8. Know the essay's case for permanent tenure.
  • For each check on the Court, name who uses it: Congress legislates and sets jurisdiction, presidents appoint, states and presidents can delay.
  • Judicial activism and judicial restraint are two views of judicial review. The description defines both by how they treat precedent.

Questions and answers

What unit is the judicial branch in AP Gov?

Unit 2, Interactions Among Branches of Government, in topics 2.8 to 2.11. At 25 to 36% of the multiple-choice section it is the largest of the five units, by the College Board's course page.

Which court cases are on an AP Government judiciary practice test?

Marbury v. Madison (1803), a required case, established judicial review. The description's table also ties Brown v. Board of Education, Baker v. Carr and other required cases to these topics. United States v. Nixon is only an optional example.

What does Federalist No. 78 say about the judicial branch?

That the judiciary is the least dangerous branch, having neither force nor will but merely judgment; that courts must declare void any act contrary to the Constitution; and that permanent tenure keeps judges independent.

What is the difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint?

In the course description, activism holds that judicial review lets courts overturn precedent or invalidate legislative and executive acts. Restraint holds that judicial review should be kept to decisions that adhere to existing precedent.

Are these real AP Government exam questions?

No. The College Board owns the real questions, and none appears here, even in other words. Every question was written for this page from the topics the course description lists.

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