Criminal Law vs. Civil Law Criminal Law – Government vs. Individual Involves jail time and or fines Civil Law-Individual vs. Individual Involves lawsuits to settle disputes.

Trial Court vs. Appeals Court Trial courts- These courts address the issue of innocence or guilt. Appeal courts-Deal with the rule of law and ask the basic question, “Did the accused receive a fair trial.”

Federal Court Cases Constitutional law issues Disagreements between states Lawsuits between citizens of different states. When the U.S. Government sues a citizen or a citizen sues the U.S. Government. Maritime Law Cases involving U.S. Diplomats Criminal acts that violate federal law. Disputes between the foreign government and either the U.S. Government or an American private party.

The Eleven U.S. Circuits

Federal Courts the Numbers Total Number of Judgeships Supreme Court 9 Court of Appeals 179 District Courts 677 Court of International Trade TOTAL 874

The Federal Court System Congress set up three levels in the federal court system. District Court Original Jurisdiction, the authority to hear the case for the first time. They hear both civil and criminal cases They are the only courts that use witnesses and juries

U.S. Court of Appeals These courts have Appellate jurisdiction. Review cases from lower district courts. They do not hold trials. Instead, a panel of judges reviews the case records and listens to arguments from lawyers on both sides. The judges may decide in one of three ways; uphold the original decision, reverse the decision, or remand the case-send it back to the lower court to be tried again.

U.S. Supreme Court Ultimate appellate jurisdiction for both federal courts and state courts. Judicial review, allows the supreme court to interpret and or strike down any law that it feels violates the principles of the constitution.

U.S. District Court Judges from Wyoming Cheyenne: JUDGE CLARENCE A. BRIMMER JUDGE ALAN B. JOHNSON Casper: JUDGE WILLIAM F. DOWNES

Federal Courts in Wyoming Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and some of Texas are in the 10th Circuit. Offices are located in Casper and Cheyenne.

10th Circuit Court of Appeals The Byron White U.S. Court House Denver, CO 80257 All appeals from the 10th Circuit are heard in Denver Colorado by a panel of 3 Judges.

Joseph C. O’Mahoney Federal Center Cheyenne

Ewing T. Kerr Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, Casper

Back Row: Sonia Sotomayor , Stephen Breyer, Samuel A Back Row: Sonia Sotomayor , Stephen Breyer, Samuel A. Alito, Elena Kagan, Front Row: Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, John G. Roberts, Jr., Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Chief Justice John Roberts Appointed by President George W. Bush 2005 Born 1955 Harvard Law School, Roman Catholic

Justice Antonin Scalia Appointed by President Ronald Reagan 1986 Born 1936, Harvard Law, Roman Catholic

Justice Anthony Kennedy Appointed by President Ronald Reagan 1988 Born 1936, Harvard Law, Roman Catholic

Justice Clarence Thomas Appointed by President George H. Bush 1991 Born 1948, Yale, Roman Catholic

Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg Appointed by President William Clinton 1993 Born 1933, Columbia/Harvard, Jewish

Justice Stephen Breyer Appointed by President William Clinton 1994 Born 1938, Harvard Law, Jewish

Justice Samuel Alito Appointed by President George W. Bush 2006 Born 1950 , Yale Law, Roman Catholic

Justice Sonia Sotomayor Appointed by President Barack Obama 2009 Born 1954, Yale Law, Roman Catholic

Justice Elena Kagan Appointed by President Barack Obama 2010 Born 1960, Harvard Law, Jewish