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A Look at the Judicial Branch
The Federal Court System & Supreme Court
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Layout of Judicial System
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Structure cont.
• District Courts• Original Jurisdiction
•Federal crimes•Civil suits under federal law and across state lines
•Supervise bankruptcy and naturalization•Review some federal agencies•Admiralty and maritime law cases
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Structure cont.
• Courts of Appeal [Circuit Courts] • Appellate Jurisdiction
•Hold no trials and hear no testimony.•Focus on errors of procedure & law
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The Supreme Court
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The Supreme Court
• Head of the Judicial Branch• Justices:
• The Judges who sit on the Supreme Court Bench
• Size of the Court is determined by the Congress• Constitution doesn’t specify• Number has been set at 9 since 1869
• Checks/Balances: • Justices are appointed by the President• Approved by Senate
• Appointed for Life• can be impeached.
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Selection Process…
• The Politics of Judicial Selection for the Supreme Court:• President relies on attorney general and DOJ to screen candidates.
• 1 out of 5 nominees will not make it.
• Presidents with minority party support in the Senate will have more trouble.
• Chief Justice can be chosen from a sitting justice, or a new member.
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The Supreme Court
• The Court’s Term:• October-June
• Diversifying the Court:• 1967: First African American appointed.•Thurgood Marshall
• 1981: First woman appointed.•Sandra Day O’Connor
• 1993: Second woman appointed. •Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
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Sandra Day O’Connor
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Thurgood Marshall
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The Supreme Court
• Judicial Review• “Courts have the power to determine whether a law or presidential action is Constitutional”•Supreme Court holds ultimate authority!
• Constitution doesn’t specify this•Created out of Supreme Court Decision.
• Marbury v. Madison (1803)
•John Marshall: Chief Justice from 1801-1835
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The Supreme Court
• Influence of John Marshall• Idea of Judicial Review
• Marbury v. Madison• Involved William Marbury, who’d been promised appt. as Justice of the Peace by President Adams
• Appointment withheld by Secretary of State James Madison under orders from President Jefferson.•Marbury sued for his appointment.
• Significance: established the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review
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The Supreme Court
• Original & Appellate Jurisdiction• Most cases are appellate.
• Deal with interpretation of civil liberties or public policy issue.
• Origninal Jurisdiction:• Involving diplomatic representative of another country• Involving disputes btw states• Involving a State and the Federal government
• Court decides what cases it will hear. • Placed on the Docket:
• the calendar/schedule for the Court• Cases usually involve issues of significant public interest.• 4 judges have to want to hear the case• If it refuses, then original decision stays in effect• Remand: Supreme Court can order a case to a lower court fo a new trial
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Supreme Court
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The Supreme Court
• Preparing for the Supreme Court• Lawyers for each side prepare a brief.
• Lawyers then present case to the Court.• Question & Answer• Get only 30 minutes
• Court then issues it’s opinion.• Majority Opinion• Consenting Opinion• Dissenting Opinion 2
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Judicial Opinion
• Justices discuss the case.• Writing the Opinion:
•Majority Opinion: • statement of legal reasoning behind a judicial decision) on the case.
•Concurring Opinion: • what a Justice writes when they agree with the ruling but for different legal reasons
•Dissenting Opinion: • a written explanation as to why a Justice disagreed with the decision of the Court
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What goes into deciding a case?
• Factors that affect a Court’s Decision. • Stare Decisis:
•to let the previous decision stand unchanged.
• Precedent: •How similar past cases were decided.
• Original Intent: •The idea that the Constitution should be viewed according to the original intent of the framers.
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Overall…
• The Supreme Court serves as the “interpreter” of laws in our government.
• The Courts and Democracy• Courts are not very democratic
• Not elected• Difficult to remove• The courts do reflect popular majorities
• Groups are likely to use the courts when other methods fail – promoting pluralism
• There are still conflicting rulings leading to deadlock and inconsistency
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Overall…
• The Scope of Judicial Power• Judicial Restraint:
• judges should play a minimal policymaking role • leave the policies to the legislative branch.
• Rehnquist Court
• Judicial Activism: • judges should make bold policy decisions and even charting new constitutional ground.
• Create public policy through decision. • Warren & Burger Court
• Statutory Construction: • the judicial interpretation of an act of Congress.• Gun Free School Zone Act of 1990• Flag Protection Act of 1989