The Organization of The The Organization of The Federal CourtsFederal Courts

Chapter 10Chapter 10Section 2Section 2

Key TermsKey Terms Courts of AppealsCourts of Appeals Circuit CourtCircuit Court

The District CourtsThe District Courts 94 district courts 94 district courts

scattered scattered throughout the U.S.throughout the U.S.

Handle 300,000 Handle 300,000 casescases

Each state has at Each state has at least one least one

Number of judges Number of judges ranges from 1 to 28ranges from 1 to 28

The District CourtsThe District Courts Witnesses are Witnesses are

calledcalled Jury normally Jury normally

decidesdecides One judge directs One judge directs

the proceedingsthe proceedings

The Court of AppealsThe Court of Appeals Court of Appeals- Court of Appeals-

handles appeals handles appeals from the federal from the federal district courtsdistrict courts

Take appeals from a Take appeals from a group of district group of district courtscourts

Circuit courts-the Circuit courts-the court of Appeals court of Appeals is often called thisis often called this

The Court of AppealsThe Court of Appeals A 13A 13thth circuit court circuit court

of appeals has of appeals has jurisdiction over a jurisdiction over a certain area of certain area of appeals from appeals from federal courtsfederal courts

There are 13 circuit There are 13 circuit courtscourts

Has no jury, no Has no jury, no witnesses, does not witnesses, does not examine evidenceexamine evidence

The Court of AppealsThe Court of Appeals Lawyers for the Lawyers for the

defendant and the defendant and the plaintiff or prosecution plaintiff or prosecution make arguments to a make arguments to a 3 judge panel3 judge panel

Judges decide to Judges decide to affirm a lower court affirm a lower court rulingruling

Or reverse itOr reverse it Not concerned with Not concerned with

guilt or innocenceguilt or innocence Only concerned was Only concerned was

the first trial fairthe first trial fair

The Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court Highest court in Highest court in

the landthe land Serves as final Serves as final

court of appeals for court of appeals for both state and both state and federalfederal

Does have original Does have original jurisdiction over jurisdiction over special casesspecial cases

The Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court Case involving Case involving

representatives of representatives of foreign foreign governments governments

disputes between disputes between state governmentsstate governments

The Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court Many additional Many additional

federal courtsfederal courts Court of ClaimsCourt of Claims Court of Customs and Court of Customs and

Patent AppealsPatent Appeals Tax CourtTax Court Each was established Each was established

by Congress for a by Congress for a special purposespecial purpose

Appeals from these Appeals from these go directly to go directly to Supreme CourtSupreme Court

Federal Court JudgesFederal Court Judges Federal judges do Federal judges do

the work of the the work of the Judicial BranchJudicial Branch

Role is different Role is different from a legislatorfrom a legislator

Legislator is open Legislator is open to influenceto influence Citizen groupsCitizen groups PresidentPresident Other legislatorsOther legislators

Federal Court JudgesFederal Court Judges Judge must be Judge must be

impartialimpartial Legislators work to Legislators work to

solve broad solve broad problemsproblems

Judge works on a Judge works on a specific problemspecific problem

Judges help define Judges help define the legislators workthe legislators work

Federal Court JudgesFederal Court Judges All federal judges All federal judges

are appointedare appointed Approved by the Approved by the

SenateSenate Serve life terms Serve life terms Only can be Only can be

removed by removed by impeachmentimpeachment

Federal Court JudgesFederal Court Judges Federal judges Federal judges

shoulder greater shoulder greater responsibilityresponsibility

Must balance rights Must balance rights of individual with of individual with interests of the interests of the nation nation

Forced to make Forced to make what seems to be a what seems to be a fair decisionfair decision

Federal Court JudgesFederal Court Judges Nine Supreme Court Nine Supreme Court

Judges have the most Judges have the most responsibilityresponsibility

Entire nation can wait Entire nation can wait for their decisionfor their decision

Although it is one Although it is one specific casespecific case

Decisions could affect Decisions could affect the whole nation the whole nation