1. The Federal Court System
Chapter 18

2. Under Articles of Confederation, no national Court System
Disputes between citizens of different States were decided in one of the States
What problems could potentially arise from this?
Court decisions from one State were frequently ignored by other States
No way to interpret National Laws consistently

3. Article III, Section 1
“The Judicial Power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”

4. National Judiciary Dual court system Two kinds of federal courts
National court system
Individual State court systems
Two kinds of federal courts
Inferior courts (constitutional courts)
Special courts

5. Types of Federal Courts
Article III Courts
94 District Courts
12 U.S. Courts of Appeals
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of International Trade
Article I Courts
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Services
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Tax Court
Territorial Courts
Courts of the District of Columbia

6. Federal Court Jurisdiction
Authority of a court to hear or decide a case
Subject Matter
Parties involved

7. Federal Court Jurisdiction
Subject Matter
The interpretation of a provision of the Constitution or any federal statute or treaty
Involves an event that took place on the high seas or navigable U.S. waters
Parties involved
The United States or one of its officers or agencies
An ambassador or other rep. from a foreign gov’t
One of the 50 states is suing another state, a resident of another state, a foreign gov’t or one of its subjects
A citizen from one state suing someone from a different state
U.S. citizen suing a foreign gov’t or one of its subjects
a citizen suing another citizen from the same state where both claim land under grants from different states

8. Types of Jurisdiction Exclusive jurisdiction Concurrent jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction
Appellate jurisdiction

9. Appointment of Judges President nominates and Senate confirms
What type of experience do you think judges have before taking the bench?
Attorneys, legal scholars and law professors, former members of Congress, judges from State courts
What qualities and characteristics do Presidents look for in judges?
Presidents frequently choose judges with views similar to theirs

10. Terms of Judges How long do judges on the constitutional courts serve?
Life – “in good behavior” - until they are either removed or resign, retire or die in office
Judges on most of the special courts serve for 15 years

11. Pay and Benefits Pay Retirement Receive full salary after retirement
Age + years of service = 80
Must be at least 65 and served 15 years
If 70 years old, must have served 10 years

12. Other Court Officers Magistrates Clerk Deputy Clerks Bailiffs
Warrants
Hear evidence
Set bail
Try minor cases
U.S. attorneys
Try those accused of crimes
Defend U.S. in suits brought against it
Clerk
Deputy Clerks
Bailiffs
Court Reporters
Stenographers
Probation Officers
U.S. marshals

13. Inferior Courts The 94 District courts are the federal trial courts
First inferior courts created by Congress in Judiciary Act of 1789
Hear both criminal and civil cases

14. District Courts
Criminal case – defendant is tried for committing some action that Congress has declared by law to be a federal crime
Bank robbery, mail fraud, counterfeiting, tax evasion
Civil case – noncriminal matter, such as a dispute over the terms of a contract or a claim of patent infringement
Bankruptcy, labor, public lands, civil rights

16. Courts of Appeals Established in 1891 to ease burden on SCOTUS
Only appeal cases from lower courts
Most come from district courts
can appeal Tax Court and territorial courts
Also, FTC, National Labor Relations Board, Nuclear Regulatory Commission