Courts, Judges and a Fair Trial · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

What makes a trial fair

Civics & Economics · Government · ages 14-16
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Which protection means no punishment without proof?

    • A shorter trial date
    • Innocent until proven guilty
    • A private hearing

  2. What is the job of a court when people disagree about a law?

    • Rewrite the constitution yearly
    • Decide what the law means
    • Collect fines for the police

  3. What does judicial independence mean?

    • Judges campaign for votes
    • Judges ignore all written laws
    • Judges decide without fear of punishment

  4. What guards the independence of federal judges in the United States?

    • Yearly elections by voters
    • Life tenure during good behavior
    • Pay linked to verdicts

  5. Why must the defendant hear the exact charge?

    • To make trials shorter
    • To block punishment based on secret accusations
    • To pick their own judge

  6. A new rule bans all criticism of the mayor. What can a court do?

    • Nothing, mayors stand above courts
    • Jail the critics faster
    • Strike it down if it goes too far

  7. A fair trial may punish a defendant before the charge is proven.

    Circle one:   True   False

  8. A past ruling upheld an unfair law, and a later court overturned it. What does that show?

    • Courts can correct their own past mistakes
    • Old rulings can never change
    • Only lawmakers shape daily life
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

What makes a trial fair W1-mt_jJF6pQc7a6-s1

  1. Innocent until proven guilty · Guilt must be proven before any punishment follows.
  2. Decide what the law means · Courts settle what the law means when people read it differently.
  3. Judges decide without fear of punishment · Independent judges rule free from fear of being punished or fired.
  4. Life tenure during good behavior · Life tenure means rulings cannot cost them their posts.
  5. To block punishment based on secret accusations · A stated charge blocks punishment built on secret accusations.
  6. Strike it down if it goes too far · Judicial review lets courts strike down acts that go too far.
  7. False · Fair trials count defendants innocent until proven guilty.
  8. Courts can correct their own past mistakes · Later courts have overturned unfair rulings of earlier ones.
Worksheet · LightMySky