1. Federal and State Courts Notes
Judicial Branch
Federal and State Courts Notes

2. Judicial Branch Judicial Branch
Main job: Interprets the Law
What article in the Constitution? Article III
The Constitution created the Supreme Court but gave Congress the power to lower courts

3. Jurisdiction Jurisdiction authority to hear certain cases Original-
court in which a case is originally tried
Appellate-
authority held by a court to hear a case that is appealed from a lower court

4. Court Systems There are two court systems State Court Systems
Federal Court System

5. The Supreme
Court
U.S. Court of Appeals
U.S. District court

6. Supreme Court – Highest Court
Justices – 9 Justices
1 Chief Justice
8 associate Justices
All are nominated by the President and approved by the Senate

7. US Court of Appeals
Job
Ease the Workload of the Supreme Court
Justices – Appointed by President and approved by the Senate

8. U.S District Courts Trial Courts – Have a jury
A person would go here first if they broke a FEDERAL LAW

9. Supreme Court determines whether to…
Hear a court case
Reverse the decision of a lower court
Uphold the decision of a lower court
Declare judicial review

10. 1 3 9 Life District Court Court of Appeals Supreme Court
Name of Court
District Court
Court of Appeals
Supreme Court
Number of judges in the Courtroom 1 3 9
Term of Office for Judges
Life
Jurisdiction/
Types of cases
Original
Concurrent
Jurisdiction
Civil and Criminal cases
Appellate jurisdiction
Hears appeals from lower courts
Appellate
Foreign gov’t representative
2 states

11. How are federal judges put on the bench?
President appoints with Senate Approval (Article II, Section II)
Why is the term of office for federal judges so important?
It permits judges to be free from public or political pressures in deciding cases

12. Maryland Court System Notes
Court of
Appeals
Court of Special Appeals
Circuit Court
District Court
Court of Appeals
Court of Special Appeals
Circuit Court
District Court

13. Court of Appeals Highest court in Maryland. It is made up of 7 judges.
Appointed by the Governor and approved by the MD Senate.
Run for office, unopposed.
Serve 10 year term.
Has appellate jurisdiction hears cases which begin in Circuit Court and have been reviewed by Maryland Court of Special Appeals.
Exclusive jurisdiction on reviewing death penalty cases.
Some rulings appealed to U.S. Sup. Court for review.

14. Court of Special Appeals
13 Judges
Judges appointed by the Governor and approved by the Senate (Maryland)
Hears civil and criminal cases appealed from the circuit court.
Their job is to ease the workload for court of appeals.

15. Circuit Court Hears major civil and serious criminal cases.
Judges are appointed by the governor and approved by the state senate.
Judges serve 15 year terms.
Has both appellate and original jurisdiction.
Has appellate jurisdiction that hears appeals from district court.

16. District Court
Judges are appointed by the Governor and approved by MD Senate do not run election.
District courts are Trial court’s with no juries.
Judge determines the verdict.