2. Texas Court of Appeals City & County Courts District Court Texas Supreme Court Texas Court of Criminal Appeals U. S. Supreme Court U. S. Circuit Courts U. S. District Courts United States Court Structure Left Side Right Side

3. FEDERAL JUDGE QUALIFICATIONS APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE NO FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS “shall hold office during good behavior” MAY BE IMPEACHED LIFE TIME APPOINTMENT

4. Chief Justice John Roberts - 2005

5. Appointment of Justice Alito - 2006

6. Appointment of Justice Sotomayor 2009

7. JURISDICTION: power of the court to hear case ORIGINAL : hear the case first or trial court APPELLATE : hear case after first time PETIT JURIES: 6 instead of 12 jurors BENCH TRIAL: judge only no jurors

8. U.S. District Courts CREATED IN 1789 BY AN ACT OF CONGRESS Not mentioned in the Constitution. ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OR TRIAL COURT - 99% OF CASES HEARD APPELLATE JURISDICTION FEDERAL TRIAL COURTS 1 – 27 JUDGES PER COURT DEPENDING ON THE DOCKET LOAD 95% OF THE CASES END HERE USE PETIT JURIES LOCAL FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS SHERMAN, TYLER, AND PLANO FOR THE BANKRUPTCY COURT

9. Circuit Courts U.S. Courts of Appeal APPELLATE JURISDICTION ONLY 12 CIRCUITS 6 – 28 JUDGES PER COURT CREATED BY CONGRESS IN 1891 NO GUILT OR INNOCENCE ONLY QUESTIONS OF LAW DECISION OPTIONS: REVERSE, UPHOLD, SEND BACK FOR A NEW TRIAL

10. 5 th Circuit Court New Orleans

11. Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

12. U.S. Supreme Court Only court mentioned by name in the Constitution. JURISDICTION: ORIGINAL: SMALL % OF CASELOAD AMBASSADORS INVOLVEMENT PARTIES INCLUDE A STATE APPELLATE: WRIT OF CERT REQUIRED 99% OF CASELOAD OVER 7,000 FILED PER YEAR AND ONLY 75 ACTUALLY HEARD BY THE COURT 9 JUSTICES FINAL AUTHORITY ON THE CONSTITUTION!!!

13. THE ROBERTS COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS JUSTICESCALIA JUSTICESTEVENS JUSTICESOTOMAYOR JUSTICEKENNEDY JUSTICEBREYER JUSTICETHOMAS JUSTICEGINSBERG JUSTICEALITO

14. Secret Conference “rule of four” Maintain National Supremacy Resolve Interstate Conflicts

15. CITY & COUNTY COURTS CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES CITY : 1. MUNICIPAL 2. TRAFFIC COURT 3. MISDEMEANOR CRIMES COUNTY : 1. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE 2. PROBATE COURTS (WILLS) 3. JUVENILE COURT State Courts handle all matters not subject to federal jurisdiction. NOTE: All judges are elected in Texas, except municipal judges.

16. TEXAS COURTS District Courts ORIGINAL JURISDICTION INVOLVING A TRIAL AND A JURY JURISDICTION: 1. CRIMINAL CASES 2. CIVIL CASES DEALING WITH MORE THAN $200 3. FAMILY AND JUVENILE COURT

17. TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS (14) APPELLATE JURISDICTION NO JURY TRIAL OR NEW EVIDENCE ADDRESSES ANY LEGAL PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE JURY TRIAL

18. TEXAS HIGH COURTS 9 JUSTICES6 YEAR TERM TEXAS SUPREME COURT CIVIL CASES ONLY TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS CRIMINAL CASES

19. TEXAS SUPREME COURT JUSTICEWILLETT JUSTICEGREEN JUSTICEWAINWRIGHT JUSTICEHECHT JUSTICEMEDINA JUSTICEJOHNSON JUSTICEGUZMAN CHIEFJUSTICEJEFFERSON JUSTICEO’NEILL

20. TEXAS HIGH COURTS 9 JUSTICES6 YEAR TERM TEXAS SUPREME COURT CIVIL CASES ONLY TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS CRIMINAL CASES

21. TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS JUDGEWOMACK JUDGEHOLCOMB JUDGEMEYERS JUDGEKEASLER JUDGEHERVEY JUDGECOCHRAN PRESIDINGJUDGEKELLER JUDGEPRICE JUDGEJOHNSON