The final court of appeals is known as the Court of ________ because it is the final stage possible in the appeals process. Note: In addition to the US Supreme Court, states can have their own final court of appeals (with their own names).

• A. Court of Last Resort
• B. Last Resort
• C. Court of Final Appeals
• D. Final Court of Appeals

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is the designation for the highest level of appeal in the judicial system. The standard name forms by placing the word Last Resort after Court of, so the full title becomes Court of Last Resort. That makes the blanking word Last Resort the correct choice, yielding the familiar phrase used for the final appellate court. In practice, the U.S. Supreme Court serves this final role at the national level, while states may have their own highest courts with different names; the concept remains the same—that it is the last opportunity for review before the matter is resolved. The other options would produce nonstandard names like Court of Final Appeals or Final Court of Appeals, which aren’t typically used.