UK Supreme Court MCQs with Answers
Which court is the highest court of appeal in the UK?
a) High Court
b) Court of Appeal
c) Supreme Court
d) Crown Court
Answer: c) Supreme Court
How many justices typically sit on the UK Supreme Court?
a) 7
b) 9
c) 11
d) 12
Answer: b) 9
Which monarch officially opened the UK Supreme Court building in 2009?
a) Queen Victoria
b) Queen Elizabeth I
c) Queen Elizabeth II
d) King George III
Answer: c) Queen Elizabeth II
What is the primary function of the UK Supreme Court?
a) Legislative drafting
b) Criminal prosecutions
c) Judicial review of government decisions
d) Local dispute resolution
Answer: c) Judicial review of government decisions
Prior to the establishment of the Supreme Court, where were final appeals on civil and criminal cases heard?
a) House of Commons
b) House of Lords
c) House of Justice
d) House of Parliament
Answer: b) House of Lords
In the UK Supreme Court, who appoints the justices?
a) Prime Minister
b) Monarch
c) Parliament
d) Judicial Appointments Commission
Answer: d) Judicial Appointments Commission
What is the minimum number of justices required to hear a case in the UK Supreme Court?
a) 3
b) 5
c) 7
d) 9
Answer: b) 5
Which individual was the first President of the UK Supreme Court?
a) Lord Denning
b) Lord Neuberger
c) Lord Phillips
d) Lord Reid
Answer: c) Lord Phillips
What is the term for a legally binding decision made by the Supreme Court that must be followed by lower courts?
a) Statute
b) Precedent
c) Verdict
d) Appeal
Answer: b) Precedent
What is the highest court of appeal in Scotland?
a) Court of Session
b) High Court of Justice
c) Court of the Crown
d) Supreme Court of Scotland
Answer: a) Court of Session
The UK Supreme Court has jurisdiction over which countries within the United Kingdom?
a) England only
b) Scotland only
c) England and Wales
d) All UK countries
Answer: d) All UK countries
What is the term for a legal principle that the government must act within its legal authority and follow the law?
a) Judicial Independence
b) Rule of Law
c) Legal Precedent
d) Constitutional Monarchy
Answer: b) Rule of Law
Who is responsible for selecting the cases that will be heard by the UK Supreme Court?
a) Prime Minister
b) Chief Justice
c) Lord Chancellor
d) Judicial Appointments Commission
Answer: b) Chief Justice
In a case involving devolution, which Supreme Court is responsible for hearing appeals from the Scottish courts?
a) Supreme Court of Scotland
b) United Kingdom Supreme Court
c) Court of Session
d) High Court of Justice
Answer: b) United Kingdom Supreme Court
What is the term for the formal written opinion of the UK Supreme Court explaining its decision in a case?
a) Verdict
b) Ruling
c) Judgment
d) Decree
Answer: c) Judgment
Which city in the UK is home to the Supreme Court building?
a) London
b) Edinburgh
c) Cardiff
d) Belfast
Answer: a) London
What is the term for the individual who presides over proceedings in the UK Supreme Court?
a) Prime Minister
b) Chief Justice
c) Lord Chancellor
d) Monarch
Answer: b) Chief Justice
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the role of the “Counsel General for Wales”?
a) To represent the UK government
b) To represent the Scottish government
c) To represent the Welsh government
d) To represent the Crown
Answer: c) To represent the Welsh government
What is the term for the ceremony that marks the official opening of the UK Supreme Court’s annual session?
a) Judicial Address
b) Legal Inauguration
c) State Opening
d) Lord Chancellor’s Speech
Answer: a) Judicial Address
Which Act of Parliament established the UK Supreme Court and reformed the constitutional arrangements of the House of Lords?
a) House of Lords Act 1999
b) Constitutional Reform Act 2005
c) Supreme Court Act 2009
d) Magna Carta
Answer: b) Constitutional Reform Act 2005
What is the term for the doctrine that the UK Supreme Court can invalidate acts of Parliament that are inconsistent with fundamental principles?
a) Parliamentary Sovereignty
b) Legal Precedent
c) Judicial Review
d) Common Law
Answer: c) Judicial Review
Which individual serves as the head of the UK Supreme Court?
a) Chief Justice
b) President
c) Prime Minister
d) Lord Chancellor
Answer: b) President
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for a judgment that is reached by a majority of justices?
a) Unanimous Decision
b) Plurality Decision
c) Split Decision
d) Dissenting Opinion
Answer: b) Plurality Decision
Which monarch’s approval is required for the appointment of a new justice to the UK Supreme Court?
a) King George III
b) Queen Victoria
c) Queen Elizabeth I
d) Queen Elizabeth II
Answer: d) Queen Elizabeth II
In a case involving devolution, which UK Supreme Court is responsible for hearing appeals from the Northern Ireland courts?
a) Supreme Court of Northern Ireland
b) United Kingdom Supreme Court
c) Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland
d) High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland
Answer: b) United Kingdom Supreme Court
What is the term for a legal principle that the decisions of the UK Supreme Court are binding on lower courts?
a) Precedent
b) Stare Decisis
c) Statute
d) Verdict
Answer: a) Precedent
What is the term for the document that outlines the legal arguments and evidence presented by parties in a case before the UK Supreme Court?
a) Verdict
b) Pleading
c) Brief
d) Summons
Answer: c) Brief
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for the process of reviewing a decision of a lower court and deciding whether it was correct?
a) Judicial Review
b) Appeal
c) Reconsideration
d) Examination
Answer: b) Appeal
What is the term for a statement made by a justice in the UK Supreme Court that disagrees with the majority opinion?
a) Verdict
b) Dissenting Opinion
c) Concurring Opinion
d) Judgment
Answer: b) Dissenting Opinion
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for the panel of justices that hears and decides a case?
a) Bench
b) Tribunal
c) Court
d) Assembly
Answer: a) Bench
Which individual is responsible for representing the UK government’s legal interests in cases heard by the Supreme Court?
a) Attorney General
b) Solicitor General
c) Chief Justice
d) Lord Chancellor
Answer: a) Attorney General
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for the requirement that justices disclose any potential conflicts of interest in a case?
a) Transparency Rule
b) Openness Mandate
c) Declaration Obligation
d) Recusal Principle
Answer: d) Recusal Principle
What is the term for the document that formally initiates a case before the UK Supreme Court and sets out the legal arguments?
a) Verdict
b) Pleading
c) Petition
d) Summons
Answer: c) Petition
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for a judgment that reflects the opinion of all justices?
a) Unanimous Decision
b) Plurality Decision
c) Split Decision
d) Dissenting Opinion
Answer: a) Unanimous Decision
What is the term for a legal principle that the UK Supreme Court is not bound by its own previous decisions?
a) Judicial Discretion
b) Judicial Review
c) Judicial Independence
d) Overruling
Answer: d) Overruling
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for a judge who is not in agreement with the majority decision?
a) Verdicting Judge
b) Dissenting Judge
c) Minority Judge
d) Concurring Judge
Answer: b) Dissenting Judge
What is the term for the document that outlines the legal arguments and evidence presented by parties in a case before the UK Supreme Court?
a) Verdict
b) Pleading
c) Brief
d) Summons
Answer: c) Brief
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for the formal statement of the legal reasoning behind a judgment?
a) Verdict
b) Preamble
c) Rationale
d) Summons
Answer: c) Rationale
What is the term for the process of reviewing the legality of government actions and decisions by the UK Supreme Court?
a) Judicial Review
b) Executive Oversight
c) Parliamentary Scrutiny
d) Legislative Veto
Answer: a) Judicial Review
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for the practice of one justice writing a separate opinion explaining their reasoning?
a) Dissent
b) Conformity
c) Unanimity
d) Consensus
Answer: a) Dissent
Which individual serves as the head of the UK Supreme Court?
a) Chief Justice
b) President
c) Prime Minister
d) Lord Chancellor
Answer: b) President
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for a case brought by an individual or organization against the government?
a) Public Case
b) Governmental Suit
c) Judicial Review
d) State Action
Answer: c) Judicial Review
What is the term for the document that outlines the legal arguments and evidence presented by parties in a case before the UK Supreme Court?
a) Verdict
b) Pleading
c) Brief
d) Summons
Answer: c) Brief
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for a judge who agrees with the majority decision but for different reasons?
a) Dissenting Judge
b) Concurring Judge
c) Minority Judge
d) Plurality Judge
Answer: b) Concurring Judge
What is the term for a legal principle that the UK Supreme Court has the authority to interpret the law and the Constitution?
a) Parliamentary Supremacy
b) Judicial Supremacy
c) Executive Authority
d) Royal Prerogative
Answer: b) Judicial Supremacy
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for the process of requesting a higher court to review a decision made by a lower court?
a) Appeal
b) Reconsideration
c) Recusal
d) Redress
Answer: a) Appeal
Which individual was the first President of the UK Supreme Court?
a) Lord Denning
b) Lord Neuberger
c) Lord Phillips
d) Lord Reid
Answer: c) Lord Phillips
What is the term for a legal principle that the UK Supreme Court can declare a law passed by Parliament to be invalid?
a) Judicial Review
b) Judicial Supremacy
c) Parliamentary Supremacy
d) Constitutional Veto
Answer: b) Judicial Supremacy
In the UK Supreme Court, what is the term for the process of asking a lower court to provide information about a case?
a) Inquiry
b) Query
c) Request for Review
d) Reference
Answer: d) Reference
What is the term for the doctrine that the UK Parliament is the supreme legal authority and cannot be overruled by the courts?
a) Judicial Review
b) Parliamentary Supremacy
c) Constitutional Monarchy
d) Rule of Law
Answer: b) Parliamentary Supremacy