Overview of the Federal Court System For use with Sections 8.1&8.2

1. For Use with Chapter 8.1 & 8.2

2.  Role of the Courts
 courts use the law to settle civil disputes
 to help ensure that equal opportunities are available
to all people
 courts use the law to decide the guilt or innocence of
people accused of crimes

3.  What Happens
 both sides come to the court and present their
position
 the court applies the law to the facts that have been
presented and makes a decision in favor of one or
the other
 Overview of a Criminal Trial
 each side presents witnesses
 witnesses present evidence
 a jury or judge delivers the verdict

4.  Equal Treatment
 “Justice is Blind”
 the goal of the legal system is to treat every person the
same regardless of who they are
 every person has the right to have a public trial with
a lawyer
 the accused who cannot afford their own lawyer will
have one appointed
 defendants are innocent until proven guilty

5.  Equal Treatment is Difficult to Achieve
 Although “Justice is Blind” the people involved in the
justice system are not
 judges and juries are not free from personal
prejudices
 wealth determines the quality of lawyer a defendant
can afford

6.  “The judicial Power of the United States, shall be
vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior
Courts as the Congress may from time to time
ordain and establish.”
 US Constitution, Article III, section 1

7.  Judiciary Act of 1789
 created federal district courts and circuit courts
 Judiciary Act of 1891
 Congress establishes the system of federal appeals
courts

9.  Jurisdiction
1. The Constitution
 a person who believes a Constitutional Right has been violated
can be heard in federal court
2. Federal Laws
 people accused of federal crimes are tired in federal courts
 also civil cases involving federal laws
3. Disputes Between States
 disputes between two state governments
 Supreme Court has original jurisdiction
4. Citizens from Different States
 two people from different states have a lawsuit

10.  Jurisdiction
5. The Federal Government
 if the federal government is part of a lawsuit
 if the federal government takes a person or company to court
6. Foreign Governments, Ambassadors, and Treaties
 Supreme Court has original jurisdiction
7. Admiralty and Maritime Laws
 any crimes or incidents that take place on the high seas /
international waters involving a US vessel
8. US Diplomats

11.  Types of Jurisdiction
1. Exclusive Jurisdiction
 only the federal courts may hear the case
2. Concurrent Jurisdiction
 the case can take place in either the state or the federal

12.  US Courts of Appeals
 also called federal appeals courts, circuit courts of
appeals, circuit courts, appellate courts
 have appellate jurisdiction
 do NOT conduct trials
 each has from 6 to 28 judges (based on how busy it
historically has been)
 review procedure from a case in federal district court
 may review actions of federal regulatory agencies

13.  Organization of US Courts of Appeals
 there are a total of 13 federal appeals courts
 12 circuit courts that hear appeals from their geographic
area (or circuit)
 1 Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit located in
Washington, DC that hears special cases that cover the
entire nation

14.  Decisions of the US Courts of Appeals
 the goal is to make sure that a defendant received a
fair trial
 after reviewing the procedure of a case appealed to
it, appeals courts may:
a) uphold the lower court’s decision
b) reverse the lower court’s decision
c) remand the case back to the district court (often times
with changes that need to be made)

15.  Decisions of the US Courts of Appeals
 opinion is the official decision of the appeals court
 it sets out how the court feels about the way the
lower court handled the case
 any rulings it makes in the opinion becomes
precedent

16.  Precedent
 the Supreme Court and appellate courts can not seek
out an issue and have both sides bring it to court, it
must wait for people themselves to take someone to
court over the issue
 precedents are not new laws but help clarify existing
laws
 Common Law
 decisions from higher courts must be followed by
lower courts
 an opinion by the Supreme Court must be followed
by everyone

17.  US District Courts
 federal trial courts
 federal lawsuits begin here
 have original jurisdiction
 there are 94 US District Courts
 conduct trials complete with witnesses and evidence,
and a jury that gives a verdict
 every state has at least one federal district court

18.  Federal Judges
 president appoints, Senate approves
 typically, the president chooses someone with the
same ideas about politics, justice and issues
 Life Tenure: federal judges may have their job for life,
unless removed by the impeachment/removal
process
 the goal have life tenure is to put judges above
politics, instead of having to please voters with their
ideas they can best serve the Constitution

19.  Magistrates
 issue search and arrest warrants
 hear preliminary evidence to determine if a case
should be brought to trial
 determine bail
 may hear minor cases

20.  US Attorneys
 a lawyer for the US government
 they have at least one deputy
 prosecute criminals
 represents the US government in lawsuits
 (appointed to 4-year term by the president with
Senate approval)

21.  US Marshals
 federal police officer
 make arrests
 collect fines
 escort convicts to prison
 protect jurors
 keep order in federal courts
 serve legal papers (such as subpoenas)

23. The US Supreme Court
1 Court of
Appeals for 12 US
the Federal
Circuit Courts of
Appeals
94 US District Courts

24. The US Supreme Court
1 Court of
Appeals for 12 US
the Federal
Circuit Courts of
Appeals
94 US District Courts

25.  Original Jurisdiction
 Conducts trials
 Witnesses testify
 Evidence is presented
 Juries hear cases and reach verdicts
94 US District Courts

26. 12 US
Courts of
Appeals
94 US District Courts

27.  Appellate Jurisdiction
 Can review a case if an individual who loses a case in
district court believes the laws were applied unfairly
 Does not determine guilt or innocence
12 US
Courts of
Appeals
 Writes opinions detailing the reasons for their decision
– establishes precedent
 Three options:
1. Uphold the district court’s decision
2. Reverse the district court’s decision
3. Remand the case

28. The US Supreme Court
1 Court of
Appeals for 12 US
the Federal
Circuit Courts of
Appeals
94 US District Courts

29. 1 Court of  National Jurisdiction
Appeals for
the Federal  Can hear special cases of
Circuit national importance