Chapter 18 Federal Courts

Where can you find information on the judicial system?

Article III

Either state or federal courts can hear a case

Concurrent Jurisdiction

The court has the authority to hear a court case for the first time

Original Jurisdiction

The authority to hear the case on appeal

Appellate Jurisdiction

An order from the Supreme Court to a lower court to send up the records for review

Writ of Certiorari

Courts can declare a law to be unconstitutional

Judicial Review

The decision of the majority of the justices

Majority Opinion

Where one or more justices disagrees with the majority decision

Dissenting Opinion

A justice agrees with the majority opinion but wants to stress a point of the case

Concurring Opinion

Cases that the court is going to hear on a given day

Docket

The person suing or filing the complaint (refers to civil cases)

Plaintiff

In a civil case it is the person being sued. In a criminal case it is the person charged for a crime

Defendant

Satisfaction of a clain

Redress

How long do most federal judges and Supreme Court Justices serve?

For life

How are most federal judges and Supreme Court Justices appointed?

By the President (with confirmation from the Senate)

What are the characteristics of a district court?

Original jurisdiction and hear both criminal and civil cases

What are the characteristics of a appeal court?

12 courts and located in a circuit

What are the characteristics of the Supreme Court?

Highest court in the land and use both original and appellate jurisdiction

Who works in the federal courts other than judges?

U.S. Marshals, U.S. Attorneys, and Magistrates

They protect the federal judiciary, apprend federal fugitives, manage and sell seized assets by criminals through illegal activities, house and transport federal prisoners and operate the Witness Security Program.

U.S. Marshals

A public official who acts as prosecutor for the state or the federal government in court in a particular district.

U.S. Attorneys

They can handle civil and criminal cases. They take care of including arraignments, conducting settlement, scheduling conferences and handling dispositive motions. They can also issue warrants, set bail, sentence defendants, oversee petty offense and misdemeanor cases, as well as appeals for social security decisions and prisoner petitions.

Magistrates

What types of cases are heard in federal courts

Cases involving the constitution, federal laws, ambassadors, admiralty laws, maritime laws or involving 2 or more states

Court case that ruled "separate but equal

Plessy v. Ferguson

Court case that overturned Plessy

Brown v. Board of Education

Court case that rules Miranda Rights

Miranda v. Arizona

Court case that made search and seizure rules. Schools "reasonable suspicion" vs law enforced "probable cause

New Jersey v. TLO

Court case that allows abortion during the first trimester

Roe v. Wade

Court case that gave symbolic free speech

Tinker v. DeMoines School District

Court case that upheld judicial review

Marbury v. Madison

Court case that gave a right to a lawyer in all cases

Gideon v. Wainwright