CIPP/US PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 100% PASS.
The U.S. Constitution establishes what three branches of government? - ANS Legislative,
Executive, Judicial
What establishes the three branches of the U.S. Government? - ANS The U.S. Consitution
What is the purpose of the three-branch government design? - ANS To provide a separation
of powers with a system of check and balances among the branches.
What similarities are found between state and federal government? - ANS The three
branches are also often found at the state and often the local levels.
What is the legislative branch's make-up? - ANS The legislative branch is made up of elected
representatives who write and pass laws. It includes the Congress (House and Senate).
What does the legislative branch do? - ANS Congress confirms presidential appointees, and
can override vetoes.
What are the duties of the executive branch? - ANS The executive branch's duties are to
enforce and administer the law.
Who makes up the executive branch? - ANS The President, Vice President, cabinet, and
federal agencies (such as the FTC).
2026 STUDY MATERIAL @COPYRIGHT RESERVED 1
,What can the executive branch do? - ANS President appoints federal judges. It can veto laws
passed by Congress.
What can the judicial branch do? - ANS The Judicial branch determines whether the laws are
constitutional. It also interprets laws, the meaning of a law, and how it is applied. It can also
examine the intent behind a law's creation.
What is the judicial branch? - ANS The Federal Courts.
What two parts make up the U.S. Congress? - ANS The Senate and the House of
Representatives (legislative branch)
What can Congress do when enacting legislation? - ANS Congress can delegate the power to
promulgate regulations to federal agencies (such as the FTC).
What laws has Congress enacted involving the FTC? - ANS Congress has enacted several laws
that give the U.S. Federal Trade Commission the authority to issue regulations to implement the
laws.
Does the executive branch include federal agencies that report directly to the President? -
ANS Yes
What do federal agencies in the executive branch do? - ANS They implement the laws
through rule making and enforce the laws through civil and criminal procedures.
What are the lowest courts called in the federal court system (judicial branch)? - ANS District
Courts. These serve as federal trial courts.
Cases decided by a district court can be referred to what? - ANS A federal appellate court
(also called a "circuit court").
2026 STUDY MATERIAL @COPYRIGHT RESERVED 2
,What do federal circuit courts do? - ANS They are not trial courts; they serve as appeals
courts for federal cases.
The federal appeals courts are divided into how many circuits? - ANS 12 regional circuits;
each district court is assigned to a appeals court which decides the appeals for that circuit.
What are the other federal courts called? - ANS Special courts include the U.S. Court of
Federal Claims and the U.S. Tax Court.
What is the top court in the judicial branch? - ANS The U.S. Supreme Court.
What does the U.S. Supreme Court do? - ANS Hears appeals from the circuit courts and
decides questions of federal law; also interprets the U.S. Constitution. May also hear appeals
from the highest state courts or function as a trial court in rare instances.
In what circumstances do federal agencies wield power that is characteristic of all three
branches of government? - ANS When they are given authority by Congress to promulgate
and enforce rules pursuant to law. This means they operate under statutes that give them
legislative power to issue rules, executive power to investigate and enforce violations of
rules/statutes, and judicial power to settle particular disputes.
What are the sources of law in the U.S.? - ANS Federal and state constitutions, legislation,
case law (contracts and torts), and agency-issued regulations.
What is the supreme law in the U.S.? - ANS The Constitution.
Who drafted the Constitution and when? - ANS The Constitutional Convention drafted the
Constitution in 1787.
True/False: The U.S. Constitution does not contain the word "Privacy". - ANS True.
2026 STUDY MATERIAL @COPYRIGHT RESERVED 3
, Which parts of the Constitution directly affect privacy? - ANS The Fourth Amendment limits
on government searches.
Which Supreme Court decisions affect privacy? - ANS The S.C. has held that a person has a
right to privacy over personal issues such as contraception and abortion, arising from more
general protections of due process of law.
What are other sources of law affecting privacy? - ANS State constitutions may create
stronger rights than are provided in the U.S. Constitution.
Which state expressly recognizes a right to privacy in its constitution? - ANS California.
What areas are regulated by laws enacted by federal Congress and state legislatures? -
ANS applications of information (use of information for marketing or pre-employment
screening), certain industries (such as financial institutions or healthcare providers), certain data
elements (SSNs or driver's license info), or specific harms (identity theft or children's online
privacy)
How is law-making power distributed in the U.S.? - ANS Law-making power is shared
between the national and state governments.
What does the U.S. Constitution say about laws under the Constitution? - ANS It states that
the Constitution and the laws passed pursuant to it, is "the supreme law of the land."
When do states have the power to make laws? - ANS Where federal law does not prevent it,
states have the power to make law.
Which Amendment to the Constitution states "the powers not delegated to the United States by
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people."? - ANS The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution.
What is one area of law where states may pass privacy/other laws with stricter requirements
than federal law? - ANS HIPAA medical privacy rule.
2026 STUDY MATERIAL @COPYRIGHT RESERVED 4
AND ANSWERS 100% PASS.
The U.S. Constitution establishes what three branches of government? - ANS Legislative,
Executive, Judicial
What establishes the three branches of the U.S. Government? - ANS The U.S. Consitution
What is the purpose of the three-branch government design? - ANS To provide a separation
of powers with a system of check and balances among the branches.
What similarities are found between state and federal government? - ANS The three
branches are also often found at the state and often the local levels.
What is the legislative branch's make-up? - ANS The legislative branch is made up of elected
representatives who write and pass laws. It includes the Congress (House and Senate).
What does the legislative branch do? - ANS Congress confirms presidential appointees, and
can override vetoes.
What are the duties of the executive branch? - ANS The executive branch's duties are to
enforce and administer the law.
Who makes up the executive branch? - ANS The President, Vice President, cabinet, and
federal agencies (such as the FTC).
2026 STUDY MATERIAL @COPYRIGHT RESERVED 1
,What can the executive branch do? - ANS President appoints federal judges. It can veto laws
passed by Congress.
What can the judicial branch do? - ANS The Judicial branch determines whether the laws are
constitutional. It also interprets laws, the meaning of a law, and how it is applied. It can also
examine the intent behind a law's creation.
What is the judicial branch? - ANS The Federal Courts.
What two parts make up the U.S. Congress? - ANS The Senate and the House of
Representatives (legislative branch)
What can Congress do when enacting legislation? - ANS Congress can delegate the power to
promulgate regulations to federal agencies (such as the FTC).
What laws has Congress enacted involving the FTC? - ANS Congress has enacted several laws
that give the U.S. Federal Trade Commission the authority to issue regulations to implement the
laws.
Does the executive branch include federal agencies that report directly to the President? -
ANS Yes
What do federal agencies in the executive branch do? - ANS They implement the laws
through rule making and enforce the laws through civil and criminal procedures.
What are the lowest courts called in the federal court system (judicial branch)? - ANS District
Courts. These serve as federal trial courts.
Cases decided by a district court can be referred to what? - ANS A federal appellate court
(also called a "circuit court").
2026 STUDY MATERIAL @COPYRIGHT RESERVED 2
,What do federal circuit courts do? - ANS They are not trial courts; they serve as appeals
courts for federal cases.
The federal appeals courts are divided into how many circuits? - ANS 12 regional circuits;
each district court is assigned to a appeals court which decides the appeals for that circuit.
What are the other federal courts called? - ANS Special courts include the U.S. Court of
Federal Claims and the U.S. Tax Court.
What is the top court in the judicial branch? - ANS The U.S. Supreme Court.
What does the U.S. Supreme Court do? - ANS Hears appeals from the circuit courts and
decides questions of federal law; also interprets the U.S. Constitution. May also hear appeals
from the highest state courts or function as a trial court in rare instances.
In what circumstances do federal agencies wield power that is characteristic of all three
branches of government? - ANS When they are given authority by Congress to promulgate
and enforce rules pursuant to law. This means they operate under statutes that give them
legislative power to issue rules, executive power to investigate and enforce violations of
rules/statutes, and judicial power to settle particular disputes.
What are the sources of law in the U.S.? - ANS Federal and state constitutions, legislation,
case law (contracts and torts), and agency-issued regulations.
What is the supreme law in the U.S.? - ANS The Constitution.
Who drafted the Constitution and when? - ANS The Constitutional Convention drafted the
Constitution in 1787.
True/False: The U.S. Constitution does not contain the word "Privacy". - ANS True.
2026 STUDY MATERIAL @COPYRIGHT RESERVED 3
, Which parts of the Constitution directly affect privacy? - ANS The Fourth Amendment limits
on government searches.
Which Supreme Court decisions affect privacy? - ANS The S.C. has held that a person has a
right to privacy over personal issues such as contraception and abortion, arising from more
general protections of due process of law.
What are other sources of law affecting privacy? - ANS State constitutions may create
stronger rights than are provided in the U.S. Constitution.
Which state expressly recognizes a right to privacy in its constitution? - ANS California.
What areas are regulated by laws enacted by federal Congress and state legislatures? -
ANS applications of information (use of information for marketing or pre-employment
screening), certain industries (such as financial institutions or healthcare providers), certain data
elements (SSNs or driver's license info), or specific harms (identity theft or children's online
privacy)
How is law-making power distributed in the U.S.? - ANS Law-making power is shared
between the national and state governments.
What does the U.S. Constitution say about laws under the Constitution? - ANS It states that
the Constitution and the laws passed pursuant to it, is "the supreme law of the land."
When do states have the power to make laws? - ANS Where federal law does not prevent it,
states have the power to make law.
Which Amendment to the Constitution states "the powers not delegated to the United States by
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people."? - ANS The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution.
What is one area of law where states may pass privacy/other laws with stricter requirements
than federal law? - ANS HIPAA medical privacy rule.
2026 STUDY MATERIAL @COPYRIGHT RESERVED 4
