2012, Question 3 · 8 points · about 25 minutes
Judicial nominations and checks on court decisions
Explain political considerations in judicial appointments and confirmations, then describe legislative and executive powers that constrain court decisions.
This paper allotted 100 minutes for four responses, recommending equal time for each, and used the earlier question structure. The current exam has 4 free-response questions in 100 minutes. The skills these questions practice still count.
Lessons this question draws on
1 Read the question
The question is College Board's, from the 2012 exam. It starts on page 4 of the PDF. College Board no longer posts this exam, so it opens from the copy of College Board's PDF that the Internet Archive saved on December 8, 2025.
2 Write your answer
Answer each part the way you would on the exam, in full sentences, with your work shown. Your writing saves as you type.
3 Score it
Score your answer against College Board's scoring guidelines, one point at a time. Give yourself a point only when your answer says what the guideline asks for.
Scoring guidelines (PDF, page 4) What the exam readers saw (Student Performance Q&A)
Question, scoring guidelines and Chief Reader report: College Board, from the Internet Archive. The title, summary are ours.