Judicial Branch

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Judicial Branch

• American Government

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Jurisdiction of Courts

• State courts have jurisdiction over cases
  involving state laws.
• Federal courts have jurisdiction over cases
  involving United States laws, foreign treaties,
  and the interpretation of the Constitution.

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The Federal (National) System is made of.

• Lower Courts
• District courts
• Courts of appeals

• Supreme Court

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District courts

• There are 94
• Are the trial courts
• Hear facts / evidence
• Call witnesses
• Judge
• Jury
• Have Original Jurisdiction

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Original Jurisdiction

• The authority to hear the first trial of a case.

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District courts (cont.)

• District courts hear cases involving
• Constitution
• Federal laws
• Citizens from other countries
• Citizens of more than one state
• Federal cases
• Ex. Robbing bank in two states
• Bankruptcy

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Court of Appeals

• There are 13 court of appeals
• They have appellate jurisdiction

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Appellate Jurisdiction

• This means they can review cases that have
  already been decided by a lower (district) court
• For example, if a person is unhappy with a lower
  courts verdict, he or she can appeal in the
  court of appeals.

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Court of Appeals (cont.)

• Make sure a person received all of his/her rights
  during the trial
• Can do three things.
• Reverse the original courts decision
• Agree with the decision
• Send the case back for a retrial

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Jurisdiction

• The Judge that hears a case first has
• Original Jurisdiction
• Concurrent Jurisdiction
• Appellate Jurisdiction
• An Appellate Judge has higher authority than the
  Judge with Original Jurisdiction
• True
• False

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• 3. How Many District Courts are there
• 80
• 35
• 94

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The Supreme Court
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The Supreme Court

• Is the highest judicial body in the United States
• Set up by the U.S. Constitution
• Meets in Washington D.C.

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The Justices

• Consists of a Chief Justice and 8 Associate
  Justices

Chief Justice John Roberts John Paul
Stevens Antonin Scalia Anthony Kennedy David
Souter Clarence Thomas Ruth Ginsburg Stephen
Breyer Sam Alito
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The Supreme Court

• Justices are nominated by the President, and
  approved by the Senate.
• Justices hold their office for LIFE
• Their duties are not defined in the Constitution
• The Supreme Court has become the most powerful
  court in the world its power developed from
  custom, usage, and history.

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Jurisdiction

• The Supreme Court has both original and appellate
  jurisdiction
• Has jurisdiction in cases involving
• Interpreting the Constitution
• Foreign countries
• Treaties with other countries
• Ambassadors
• The U.S. government as a party
• Two or more states
• Citizens vs. states, citizens of different states

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• 4. There are ________ Justices on the Supreme
  Court
• 12
• 9
• 8
• 5. Congress must approve the Presidents
  appointments to the Supreme Court
• True
• False

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The Supreme Court

• Chief Justice Marshalls ruling in Marbury v.
  Madison (1803)
• Judicial Review.
• 6. Judicial Review means
• Supreme Court can make laws
• Supreme Court can not hear state cases
• Supreme Court can declare a law unconstitutional

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Due Process and Regulatory Power

• In Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
• separate but equal precedent.
• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954).

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Due Process and Regulatory Power

• In the Granger cases (1870s), the Court held that
  a state had the power to regulate railroads and
  other private property.
• Dred Scott Decision

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Review

• 7. ___concurrent jurisdiction
• ___original jurisdiction
• ___appellate jurisdiction
• ___Judicial Review
• ___due process clause

• A. no states may deprive a person of life,
  liberty, or property without due process of law
• B. the authority of a trial court to be first to
  hear a case
• C. Supreme Court can declare a law
  unconstitutional
• D. authority shared by both federal and state
  courts
• E. authority held by a court to hear a case that
  is appealed from lower court