1. Chapter 3-2 The Federal Court System
Pages 52-54

2. Origin of the Federal Court System
Article III of the Constitution, section 1 – source of power of the federal courts
Federal Judiciary Act = “ordained and established” U.S. Supreme Court and 13 district courts
1891– federal Courts of Appeal
Other courts were added as they were needed

3. Jurisdiction of the Federal Courts
Three levels of federal courts–
Federal district courts
Federal courts of appeals
U.S. Supreme Court
General Jurisdiction – court that can hear almost any case
Special Jurisdiction – only one specific type of case

4. Federal District Court
Lowest level with general jurisdiction
Trial Court – first court to hear the dispute
Power to determine facts
Make determination of the law to use in deciding the case
Original Jurisdiction
Federal questions that arise under the Constitution, U.S. law and U.S. treaties
Lawsuits between citizens of different states, between a U.S. citizen and a foreign nation, between a U.S. citizen and a citizen of a foreign nation (diversity of citizenship)

5. Federal Courts of Appeals
Appellate jurisdiction over district courts, certain specialized federal courts and federal administrative agencies
Appellate courts do not accept new evidence or call witnesses
They review transcripts
Review appellate briefs or oral arguments of the attorneys

6. Federal Appellate Courts
13 federal courts of appeal
12 are circuit courts responsible for an assigned geographic area
13th court is “federal circuit”…handles patent cases appealed from district courts and appeals from federal courts with special jurisdiction

7. United States Supreme Court
Both Original and Appellate Jurisdiction
Original – over cases “affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls and those in which a state shall be party”
Appellate – cases on appeal from the U.S. Courts of Appeals or from the highest courts of the states
Write of certiorari – compels the state court to turn over the record of the case to the Supreme Court for review because it contains a constitutional issue sufficiently important for the Supreme Court to decide upon.

8. Textbook questions Page 54 Think About Legal Concepts – 1-5
Think Critically about Evidence – 6-8