Judicial Branch Chapter 11: The Federal Court System.

Judicial Branch

Chapter 11: The Federal Court System

JOB OF THE JUDICIAL BRANCH

To interpret laws

Types of Courts

• Inferior

Supreme

Jurisdiction

authority to hear a case

State courts have jurisdiction over cases involving state laws.

Federal courts have jurisdiction over cases involving ______________ laws.

Federal JurisdictionHow do you know (if it’s a federal case)?

What it’s about• US laws • Treaties• Interpretation of the

Constitution (Monroe v. Madison)

• Maritime law (shipping)

Who’s involved• Ambassadors • Citizens of different states• State vs. state• US government

Types of Jurisdiction

original

appellate

concurrent

Hears a case first

Hears a case on appeal

Shared between federal and state

Supreme Court (original and appellate)

94 District Courts (original, most trial cases)

Special Courts (Tax Court, Territorial Courts, etc.)

Appeals from State Supreme Courts

12 Appeals Courts (appellate)

LIFETHE TERM OF A FEDERAL JUDGE

HOW CAN A FEDERAL JUDGE BE REMOVED?

Impeachment by Congress

A check (and balance)

Supreme Court

Has _______ members

Each judge is called a __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

The chief justice is John R______________.

Judicial Review

• The power to declare a law or court case to be unconstitutional

• Established in M________ vs. M_________• Most cases [are, are not ] about

Constitutionality, but they get more press.

Supreme Court Jurisdiction

•Original When foreign governments or a State is involved

MOST cases are on appeal.•Appellate

Types of Courts

• Inferior

Supreme

Inferior Courts

Constitutional Courts• Article __ __ __ courts

• __ __ __ __ __ courts*

Special Courts* • Article __ Courts

• Deal with the ___________ powers of Congress

• Ex: US Tax Court, US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, Territorial Courts, Courts of District of Columbia

• *Legislative courts

• (94) District Courts*at least 1 per state

District Courts hear 80 % of federal cases.

• Criminal cases • Civil cases

Supreme Court Decisions

Chapter 12

A term begins in

October

During the term, each month

The first 2 weeks• They “sit” and listen to

__________ arguments.

The second 2 weeks• They do paper work during

their “ __ __ __ __ __ __ .”

The number of cases per yearHow many are appealed

to the Court

• About 9,000

How many are heardby the Court

• About 100

Rule of Four

• 4 justices must agree to hear a case

Briefs

• Written documents read by judges before the case

Oral Arguments

Lawyers may talk before the Court for only 30 minutes.

• When a red light comes on, they have to stop immediately.

Opinion

• Written statements about a case

• The ___________ opinion is in favor of the winning side.

• The concurring opinion is from a justice who is in the majority but for a different reason.

• The ___________ opinion comes from justices who disagree.

Precedent

Judges quote (cite) similar cases from the past.

Issues before the Court

Foreign affairs

Civil liberties

Economic issues

Due process