The United States Court System

Dual Court System

• Separate Judicial Court System for each state and a separate federal system– Federal Courts– State and Local Courts

Federal Courts

Established by the U.S. Constitution

• Jurisdiction is limited– U.S. Constitutional law– U.S. Federal law

• Bankruptcy• Copyrights• Patents

State Courts

Established by the individual states

• Include state and local courts

• Jurisdiction is broad– Cases citizens are involved in

• Criminal violations• Traffic violations• Broken contracts• Family disputes

United StatesSupreme Court

Courts of LimitedJurisdiction

Courts of GeneralJurisdiction

Intermediate CourtsOf Appeals

Appellate Court Of Last Resort

U.S. DistrictCourts

U.S. Circuit CourtsOf Appeals

Dual Court System

Jurisdiction:The courts authority to hear and decide cases

• Original jurisdiction– Authority to hear a case when it is first brought to court

• Appellate jurisdiction– Authority to review a case for errors of law

• General jurisdiction– Authority to hear any type of case

What’s the difference??

Federal Court System

• Authority• Established by the U.S. Constitution (Article III)

• U.S. District Courts

• U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal

• U.S. Supreme Court

United StatesSupreme Court

U.S. Court Of Appeals12 Circuits

U.S. Court Of Appeals

Federal Circuit

U.S. Court Of Military

Appeals

95 U.S.District Courts

UnitedStates

Tax Court

U.S. Courts of

International Trade

United StatesClaims Courts

U.S.Courts ofVeterans Appeals

Armed ServicesCourts ofMilitary Review

U.S. District Courts

• Trial courts of the Federal Government

• Court of original jurisdiction

• Violations of federal crime and civil law– First adjudicated– Decisions of facts are made– 13 circuits throughout the United States

• 94 federal district courts

U.S. District Courts

Jurisdiction

• Federal laws

• Treaties with foreign nations

• Interpretations of the U.S. Constitution

U.S. District Courts

Presided over by a district court judge

– Appointed by the President

– Confirmed by the Senate

– Serve on the bench for life• May resign• May be impeached and convicted by

Congress

U.S. District Courts

U.S. District Courts in Georgia

• Georgia Northern District Court– Atlanta--Gainesville--Newnan--Rome

• Georgia Middle District Court– Macon--Albany--Athens--Columbus--Valdosta

• Georgia Southern District Court– Savannah--Augusta--Brunswick

U.S. District Courts(Georgia)

Georgia Northern District Court   Atlanta   Georgia Northern District Court   Gainesville   Georgia Northern District Court   Newnan   Georgia Northern District Court   Rome

Georgia Middle District Court   Macon   Georgia Middle District Court   Albany   Georgia Middle District Court   Athens   Georgia Middle District Court   Columbus   Georgia Middle District Court   Valdosta

Georgia Southern District Court   Savannah   Georgia Southern District Court   Augusta  Georgia Southern District Court   Brunswick

U.S. Courts of Appeal• Court of Appeals

– Hears appeals of verdicts from U. S. District Courts– Created in 1891

• To reduce load on the U.S. Supreme Court– Primary role is to ensure trial court correctly interpreted and

applied the law– Cannot refuse to hear a case

• 13-U.S. Circuit courts of appeals– 11 Districts– District of Columbia– Federal District

• Atlanta – 11th District Court of Appeals

U.S. Courts of Appeal•Hears appeals from the U.S. District Courts•Created in 1891

–Reduce the burden on the U.S. Supreme Court

•Appellate Jurisdiction ONLY–Reviews cases for errors of law…not fact.–Appeal to the court is a matter of right!!

•Cannot refuse to hear an appeal•Primary role is to ensure trial court correctly interpreted and applied the law

U.S. Courts of Appeal13 U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals

– 11 Districts– District of Columbia– Federal District

• Atlanta –11th District Court of Appeals

U.S. Circuit/District Court Map

1st Circuit · 2nd Circuit · 3rd Circuit · 4th Circuit · 5th Circuit · 6th Circuit · 7th Circuit · 8th Circuit · 9th Circuit · 10th Circuit · 11th Circuit · DC Circuit · Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals11th Circuit

Jurisdiction•Federal cases originating in

•Alabama•Florida•Georgia

U.S. Supreme Court

• Has original jurisdiction in limited cases– State v. State issues

• Primary task is to hear appeals from the U.S. courts of appeal

U.S. Supreme Court

• Nine Justices– One Chief Justice– Eight Associate Justices

• Appointed by the President

• Congressional Approval– Tenure is for life– Good Behavior

U.S. Supreme Court

Current Court (7) Men (2) Women (1) African American (1) Hispanic

Chief Justice-John Roberts

Associate Justices

John Paul Stevens Antonin Scalia Steven Breyer Anthony Kennedy Clarence ThomasSamuel Alito

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Sonia Sotomayor

U.S. Supreme Court

Four Justices must vote to hear a case

Writ of certiorariA written order from the U.S. Supreme CourtTo a lower court whose decision is being appealedSend the records of the case for review

Only if…Defendant has exhausted all other avenues of appealCase involves a “ substantial federal question”An alleged violation of either the U.S. Constitution or Federal

Law

U.S. Supreme Court

• Decision – Affirm the decision of the lower court

• Agree with• Let it stand

– Reverse the decision of the lower court• Remand the decision• Return the case to the court of original jurisdiction