The Big Box Government Review Sheet
(Virginia Version)
 Using your textbook, your class notes, and the Internet, try to fill in the blanks in the boxes below.
(When printing, a "landscape" orientation will work best so that the right column will not be cut off. Total: 2 or 3 pages).
 
    Branch
Level		 Legislative 
(Congress)

makes the laws. 		Executive (President)

carries out the law.
Judicial 
(Court system)

interprets the law.

Federal
(The United
States)


 

 Upper House:___Senate___ 
Term of office:___Six____ years. 
Minimum Age:___30___  years. 
Presiding officer:____Vice-president___

Lower House: _US House of Representatives_ 
Term of office: __Two__ years. 
Minimum Age:___25____ years. 
Presiding officer: _Speaker of the House_ 		 Headed  by: 
_The President_ 

Second in command: 
___Vice-president____ 

Advisors: __The Cabinet_ 
Foreign Affairs: 
_____Secretary of State___ 
Defense: _Sec. of Defense_ 
Economy: _Sec. of Treasury
Legal: ___Attorney General_

 Highest Level: 
Supreme Court 
Term: Life
Primary Role: interpreting the Constitution, reviewing laws, and deciding cases involving states' rights.
How Chosen:
President nominates, Senate confirms 
Middle level 
US Court of Appeals 
Term: Life 
Primary Role: To hear cases on appeal from  
US District Court.
How Chosen:
President nominates, Senate confirms 
Lowest Level:
US District Court 
Primary Role:
Original jurisdiction in federal cases, both criminal and civil.
State
(Virginia)

 

 Legislative Body:

Virginia General Assembly

Upper House: _ Va. State Senate__ 
Scroll down after clicking to find information on the links below.
Term of office:
___4___ years. 
Minimum Age:
___21____ years. 

Presiding officer:__ Lt. Governor___ 

Lower House:___Va. House of Delegates___ 

Scroll down after clicking to find information on the links below.
Term of office:
___2___ years. 

Minimum Age:
____21___ years. 

Presiding officer: ____Speaker of the House of Delegates___ 
 

 Headed  by: __Governor__

Second in command:
__Lt. Governor__ 

Advisors: ___The Cabinet__ 
State Affairs:__ Secretary
of the Commonwealth__ 
Defense:  (State Police & militia) ___Superintendent__ 
Taxation: __Treasurer___ 
Legal: __Attorney General__

 Highest Level:_____ 
Va. Supreme Court 
Term:____12 yrs___ 
Primary Role:

Appellate review of 
decisions of the circuit courts in traffic infractions and in criminal cases.

How Chosen:
Legislative election

 Middle level:
Va. Court of Appeals 
Term:_____8 yrs___ 
Primary Role:

It is an intermediate appellate court created  to increase the hear more appeals cases.

How Chosen: 
Legislative election

Lower level:  
Va. Circuit Court
General District Courts 
Term:___8 yrs____ 
Primary Role:
Hears appeals from general district courts. It is the highest trial court in the state system.

Lowest level:

General District Courts 

Term:___8 yrs____ 
Primary Role:
The general district court decides civil suits involving amounts of money up to $15,000.
Decides cases in which a person is charged with a misdemeanor, any charge which carries a penalty of no more than one year in jail or a fine of up to $2,500, or both. 

Local
(County, City, Town)

 

Legislative Body For Cities:_____Town or City Council____ 
http://www.leesburgva.gov/government/council/

Legislative Body For Counties:____Board of Supervisors___
http://www.loudoun.gov/bos/home.htm

 For Cities:_____Mayor___ 

For Counties:_
County Executive_

An interactive graphical version of the Big Box review sheet is now available.

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