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The Dual Court System
Chapter 2.1
Federal & State Court Systems
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Terms to Know
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Jurisdiction - power & authority given to
a court to hear a case and to make a
judgement.
Original Jurisdiction - power given to
district courts to try a case before it goes
to federal court.
Appellate Jurisdiction - any party to a
suit decided in a federal district court may
appeal to the next highest court in the
circuit where the case was tried.
The Federal Court System
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Supreme Court - highest
court
Appellate Court - middle
court; also called
intermediate courts
District Court - lowest court;
where trials begin.
There are 13 Circuits in the U.S. each
with several District courts and 1
Appellate court
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All cases begin in the District Court.
The Federal Court System
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Supreme Court - highest court
•Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in
Chapter
2.1
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cases involving ambassadors, consuls,
other public ministers and cases in which a
state is a party.
•Appellate jurisdiction is it’s main
function.
•Court must hear all cases involving the
constitutionality of a federal law.
•The Court decides by a vote of at
least 4 of 9 judges which additional
cases it will hear from the U.S. court
of appeals or state supreme courts.
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Appellate Court - middle court; also called
intermediate courts
•Only a question of law is raised.
•If a case is appealed it goes to the
appellate court.
•There is no jury, witnesses or
evidence presented in an appeal case.
•Appellate courts only determine
whether the lower court correctly
applied the law in the circumstances.
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The Federal Court System
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Special U.S. Courts
•Congress has established several special
federal courts.
•They have special jurisdiction in certain
kinds of cases.
•Ex: Disagreements on imported good
taxation
•Ex: Cases involving citizens against
the U.S. government
•Ex: Disputes with the IRS
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The State Court System
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Chapter
Each state can have its own court system but
the following is a general pattern:
2.1
STATE COURT SYSTEM
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•Supreme Courts
•Intermediate Appellate Courts
•Juvenile Courts
•Domestic Relations Courts
•Special Courts
•General Trial Courts
•Local Trial Courts
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Intermediate Appellate Courts
•Hear cases of appeal from courts of
Chapter
general jurisdiction
•Similar to U.S. Appellate Court
2.1
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State Supreme Courts
• Cases can go on to U.S. Supreme Court
•Similar to U.S. Supreme Court
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The State Court System
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Local Trial Courts
Limited Jurisdiction - courts that have
limited power
•Handle minor matters
•Misdemeanors
•Civil actions involving small
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amounts of $
•Petty crimes
•Includes:
•Traffic court
•Police Court
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General Trial Courts
General Jurisdiction - courts that have
general power and handle most cases
•Also called:
•County Court
•Superior Court
•Court of Common pleas
•Circuit Court
•Handle:
•Criminal cases
•Civil cases
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Special State Courts
•Domestic Relations Courts
•Handle divorce, annulment and
dissolution proceedings.
•Handle distribution of property at the
end of a marriage
•Alimony & Child support
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Chapter
2.1
The State Court System
• Special State Courts
•Juvenile Courts
•Jurisdiction over delinquent, unruly, abused
or neglected children up to a certain age.
•Procedures are less formal
•Juveniles do not have a right to trial by jury
but proof beyond reasonable doubt must still
exist to convict a juvenile.
Delinquent child - a minor who has committed an adult crime.
Unruly Child - a minor who has done something inappropriate (violate curfew).
Neglected/Abusted
Child - homeless, destitute or without adequate parental
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care