1. The Judicial Branch
A Review

2. Terms to know Jurisdiction Exclusive jurisdiction
Concurrent jurisdiction
Plaintiff
Defendant
Original jurisdiction
Appellate jurisdiction

3. Questions You Should be able to answer
1) Why was the Judicial Branch created?
2) What is the dual court system?
3) What are the two kinds of federal courts?
4) What is the authority of a court to hear and decide a case?
5) How is it decided whether to hear a case in a federal court?

4. Questions you should be able answer, continued…
6) What are the two areas of jurisdiction?
7) What is original jurisdiction?
8) What is appellate jurisdiction?
9) What is the difference between a plaintiff and a defendant?
10) What are the inferior courts?
11) What are district courts?
12) What are the Courts of Appeal?

5. Questions, cont. 13) What is the Supreme Court?
14) Who appoints federal judges?
15) What is the case that decided judicial review?
16) What is judicial review?
17) What are the principles of judicial review?

6. Why was the judicial Branch created?
There was no way to try cases under the Articles of Confederation
The Judicial Branch serves to interpret the laws of our nation

7. What is a dual court system?
Federal Courts
Constitutional Courts
Special Courts
Supreme Court
State Courts

8. What are the two kinds of federal courts?
Constitutional Courts
(Regular Courts)
These are courts that hear most of the cases arising under the law
Special Courts
These courts hear cases that arise out of the legislative expressed powers
Examples: Tax Courts, Court of Veteran Appeals

9. What is the authority of a court to hear and decide a case?
Jurisdiction

10. When is a case heard in a federal court?
Subject Matter
Questions about the Constitution
Maritime issues
Parties
Anytime the case involves:
The United States government
Representatives of a foreign government
State disagreements

11. Exclusive Concurrent Types of Jurisdiction
Cases heard only in federal courts
Example: federal crimes, ambassadors, patent violations
Concurrent
Cases heard both in federal and state courts
Example: a cases involving citizens of different states

12. What is original jurisdiction?
The court where a case is first heard

13. What is appellate jurisdiction?
A court that hears an appeal from a lower court

14. What is the difference between a
Plaintiff
Defendant

15. What are the inferior courts?
The lower courts
Examples:
The district courts
The Court of Appeals

16. What are district courts?
Federal trial courts
There is at least one district court in each state…more than one district court when there is a large population
There are 91 district courts

17. Who appoints district court judges?
The President appoints judges
There are 632 district court judges
They are appointed for life

18. What is the Court of Appeals?
They are the “gate-keepers” to the Supreme Court
Most appeals cases are heard in these courts
There are 12 Appeals Courts

19. Who appoints Court of Appeal Judges?
The president appoints these judges
There are 36 circuit (court of appeal)judges
They serve for life

20. What is the Supreme Court?
This is the Court of Last Resort
All decisions of the Supreme Court are final
Only a Supreme Court decision can overturn another Supreme Court decision

21. Who appoints Supreme Court Justices?
The President of the United States
There are 9 members of the Supreme Court
THE PRESIDENT APPOINTS ALL FEDERAL JUDGES…THE SENATE CONFIRMS ALL THOSE APPOINTMENTS

22. What is judicial review?
The Federal Court can review the actions of the legislative and executive branches
What case decided on Judicial Review?
Marbury v. Madision

23. What are the three main principles of Judicial Review?
1) The Constitution is the Supreme Law of our land
2)All actions of the government are subordinate to the Constitution
3)The Judicial branch is sworn to uphold the Supreme Law of our land…therefore it can refuse the actions of any branch of government if it conflicts with the Constitution

24. Questions You Should be able to answer
1) Why was the Judicial Branch created?
2) What is the dual court system?
3) What are the two kinds of federal courts?
4) What is the authority of a court to hear and decide a case?
5) How is it decided whether to hear a case in a federal court?

25. Questions you should be able answer, continued…
6) What are the two areas of jurisdiction?
7) What is original jurisdiction?
8) What is appellate jurisdiction?
9) What is the difference between a plaintiff and a defendant?
10) What are the inferior courts?
11) What are district courts?
12) What are the Courts of Appeal?

26. Questions, cont. 13) What is the Supreme Court?
14) Who appoints federal judges?
15) What is the case that decided judicial review?
16) What is judicial review?
17) What are the principles of judicial review?

27. Terms to know Jurisdiction Exclusive jurisdiction
Concurrent jurisdiction
Plaintiff
Defendant
Original jurisdiction
Appellate jurisdiction