1. Judicial Branch Chapter 8 Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4

2. Judicial Branch Article III of Constitution Article III of Constitution Interprets Laws Interprets Laws Start at the bottom and work your way up through appeals Start at the bottom and work your way up through appeals Appeal- request to rehear or retry a case Appeal- request to rehear or retry a case Supreme Court Court of Appeals District Courts

3. Federal Courts Video

4. District Courts District Courts- Where trials begin District Courts- Where trials begin Description Description Decide guilt or innocence Decide guilt or innocence Only courts where witnesses testify, juries hear cases, reach verdicts Only courts where witnesses testify, juries hear cases, reach verdicts Original Jurisdiction: hear cases for the first time Original Jurisdiction: hear cases for the first time Number: 94 Total Courts Number: 94 Total Courts

5. District Court Location: Each state has at least one Location: Each state has at least one NC has 3 (Western, Central, and Eastern) NC has 3 (Western, Central, and Eastern) Judges: 1 Judge reviews each case Judges: 1 Judge reviews each case President appoints, Senate approves President appoints, Senate approves Term: LIFE (die in office or retire) Term: LIFE (die in office or retire) Can be removed by impeachment Can be removed by impeachment

6. Appeals Courts Appeals Courts- review decisions made in district court Appeals Courts- review decisions made in district court Description Description Does not decide guilt or innocence, only if there was a fair trial Does not decide guilt or innocence, only if there was a fair trial Does not hold trials, no witnesses, juries, etc. Does not hold trials, no witnesses, juries, etc. Does not hear all cases- if they do not hear it the lower court decision is final Does not hear all cases- if they do not hear it the lower court decision is final

7. Appeals Courts Possible rulings: 1. Uphold/Keep the original decision 1. Uphold/Keep the original decision 2. Reverse the original decision 2. Reverse the original decision 3. Remand the case- sending it back to the lower courts to be tried again (redo) 3. Remand the case- sending it back to the lower courts to be tried again (redo) Appellate Jurisdiction: Authority to hear a case appealed from a lower court Appellate Jurisdiction: Authority to hear a case appealed from a lower court Number: 12 Number: 12

9. Appeals Courts Location: Each is over a “circuit”- geographical area Location: Each is over a “circuit”- geographical area NC is in the 4 th Circuit NC is in the 4 th Circuit Judges: 3 Judges review each case (majority rules) Judges: 3 Judges review each case (majority rules) President appoints, Senate approves President appoints, Senate approves Term: LIFE (die in office or retire) Term: LIFE (die in office or retire) Can be removed by impeachment Can be removed by impeachment

10. Supreme Court Video

11. Supreme Court Supreme Court- reviews decisions made in district and appeals courts Supreme Court- reviews decisions made in district and appeals courts Description Description Does not decide guilt or innocence, only whether laws are constitutional Does not decide guilt or innocence, only whether laws are constitutional Does not hold trials, no witnesses, juries, etc. Does not hold trials, no witnesses, juries, etc. Does not hear all cases- if they do not hear it the lower court decision is final Does not hear all cases- if they do not hear it the lower court decision is final Final decision on any case Final decision on any case

12. Supreme Court Docket- court calendar of all cases Docket- court calendar of all cases 2004- nearly 7,500 cases were appealed to the Supreme Court but it only heard 74 cases 2004- nearly 7,500 cases were appealed to the Supreme Court but it only heard 74 cases Majority Opinion- written by the majority of Justices on the case (winning opinion) Majority Opinion- written by the majority of Justices on the case (winning opinion) Dissenting Opinion- written by Justices explaining why they oppose the majority opinion Dissenting Opinion- written by Justices explaining why they oppose the majority opinion Jurisdiction: Original and Appellate Jurisdiction: Original and Appellate Number: 1 Number: 1

13. Supreme Court Location: Washington DC Location: Washington DC Judges are known as “Justices” Judges are known as “Justices” 9 Justices total 9 Justices total 1 Chief Justice 1 Chief Justice 8 Associate Justices 8 Associate Justices President appoints, Senate approves President appoints, Senate approves Term: LIFE (die in office or retire) Term: LIFE (die in office or retire) Can be removed by impeachment Can be removed by impeachment

14. Supreme Court Justices Video

15. Current Supreme Court John Roberts (Chief Justice) Since 2005 George W. Bush Elena Kagan Since 2010 Barack Obama Antonin Scalia Since 1986 Ronald Reagan

16. Supreme Court Anthony Kennedy Since 1988 Ronald Reagan Clarence Thomas Since 1991 George H.W. Bush Ruth Bader Ginsburg Since 1993 Bill Clinton

17. Supreme Court Stephen Breyer Since 1994 Bill Clinton Samuel Alito Since 2006 George W. Bush Sonia Sotomayer Since 2009 Barack Obama