January 23, 2014
The Judicial Branch
(Interpret Law)
January 23, 2014
Judicial Branch
-Consists of the system of Federal Courts and judges
-Article III gives provides the basic framework
Highest Court=Supreme Court
Lower Courts created to meet the country's needs
Job description-Protect the Constitution and resolve disputes that
involve national laws, the Federal government, or the states.
-People accused of breaking the law can be tried in Federal
Courts
January 23, 2014
Inferior Courts
-Inferior courts are divided into two lower courts called district and
appellate courts
-Most cases start in a district court
-Citizens can appeal decisions made in a district court
-Appeals are heard by an appellate court to decide only whether the trial
was fair and legal
-Descisions made by appellate courts can be appealed to the Supreme
Court
Court System Explained
January 23, 2014
The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court
January 23, 2014
What YOU need to KNOW
-Supreme Court decisions are FINAL!
-There are 9 Justices (although the Constitution
says nothing about how many there should be)
-Justices serve for life (with good behavior) and
have to be appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate
January 23, 2014
What kind of cases does the S.C. decide on?
-Disputes involving a state or an ambassador goes DIRECTLY to the S.C.
-ALL other cases come after a trail and appeals from the lower courts first
-Thousands of lawyers ask the S.C. to hear their case every year
-The S.C. agrees to only hear about 100
(They only hear cases where they think the decision made by a lower court
may conflict with the Constitution)
-S.C. has the power of judicial review which says:
They have the power to decide whether laws and actions by the legislative
and executive branches conflict with the Constitution.
January 23, 2014