UNIT ONE
History, Structure and Function of the American Legal System
Vocabulary
Jurisdiction

The_______________________________ of a court to hear and decide cases within
an area of the law or a geographical territory
Appeal

A ____________________________of lower court proceedings by a higher court
History of the Federal Court System
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Article III of the ____________________________________________
 Established a federal _____________________________________
 Created by_______________________________ on Sept 24th, 1789
Judiciary Act of 1789
 Passed by Congress
 Established ______________courts (1 for each of the original states)
Since 1789
 Numerous ___________________________passed that continue to define the
American Court System
The Supreme Court originally had ______________________justices
Structure of the Federal Court System
 Begins with the_______________________________________ Court
 Ends with the ____________________________________Court
Supreme Court
___________________________Courts
Trial Courts
Structure of the Federal Court System
 Magistrate Courts
o
Created by the________________________________ Magistrate’s Act of 1968
 Trial Courts
o Also called U.S. ______________________________________________
o ____________ U.S. District Courts covering the United States and its territories
Structure of the Federal Court System
 Court of Appeals
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Also known as Appeals Court, Appellate Court, and Circuit Courts
__________________ U.S. circuit courts
Over __________________federal courts of appeals judges
Does NOT conduct a____________________________ trial
Consists of a panel of judges, usually ____________________
Structure of the Federal Court System
 U.S. Supreme Court

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Highest court in the United States
Consists of_____________ justices
Decisions are final and ______________________________ be overruled
Function of the Federal Court System

Magistrate Courts
 Try Class A misdemeanors and ________________________________
 Perform duties such as issuing ________________________, arraignments, etc.
 Trial Courts
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Hear both criminal and ___________________cases
____________________________ of cases are civil
Function of the Federal Court System
 Court of Appeals
• Hear appeals from the U.S. District Courts
• The defendant can _________________________ their case based on a
claim that:
 They were denied a ____________________________trial OR
 The law they were convicted under
was_________________________________________________
Function of the Federal Court System

Court of Appeals (continued)

The court is to determine:
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If the district __________________________ made a judicial error
If the error should have substantially affected the court’s decision
If the answer is “____________________” to both questions
 The appeal is dismissed
If the answer is “____________________” to
____________________of the questions
 The court will review the appeal and issue a ruling
Function of the Federal Court System
 U.S. Supreme Court
 Only agrees to ______________________cases where there is


A split of ________________________among the courts of appeal OR
An important constitutional question or issue of federal law needs to be
_________________________________
 Decides which cases it will hear
 Legally mediates for lawsuits


Between ________________________ AND
Between the United States and
______________________________________
Function of the Federal Court System
 U.S. Supreme Court (continued)
 Final authority for ________________opinions binding on the federal
government
 The lower________________________________ have to fall in line with that
ruling
Function of the Federal Court System

U.S. Supreme Court (continued)
 The Court MUST review cases when:
 A federal court has held an act of ___________________________ to be
unconstitutional



A U.S. Court of Appeals has found a _____________________________to
be unconstitutional
A state’s highest court of appeals has ruled a
___________________________ law to be unconstitutional
An individual’s challenge to a state statute on federal constitutional grounds
is upheld by a state’s highest court of appeals
History of the State Court System
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___________________- the Texas Supreme Court was established after the
Texas Revolution
_____________________ the Supreme Court was restructured
_______________________- the offices of the Supreme Court were filled by
elections
_________________________- the Court of Appeals was created to deal with
criminal cases and relieve the case load of the Supreme Court; later renamed the
Court of Criminal Appeals
___________________________- the Courts of Civil Appeals, renamed
Courts of Appeals; designed to relieve the Court of Criminal Appeals caseload
Structure of the State Court System
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Begins with the Justice or Municipal Courts
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Ends with the Texas Supreme Court or the Court of Criminal Appeals
Texas Supreme Court or Court of Criminal Appeals
Courts of Appeals
____________________________________________________
County Courts
Justice Courts or Municipal Courts
Structure of the State Court System
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Justice or Municipal Courts
821 Justice Courts with 821 judges
913 Municipal Courts with 1,458 judges
Structure of the State Court System
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County Courts
499 courts
 254 constitutional county courts
 227 statutory county courts
 18 statutory probate courts
District Courts
 449 courts
 449 judges
 352 districts (cover one county)
 97 districts (cover more than one county)
Structure of the State Court System
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Court of Appeals
14 courts
80 justices
Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals
Have only 9 justices
Function of the State Court System
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Justice Courts
Handle crimes that are punishable by fine only

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Handle civil issues
Issuing marriage licenses
Settling small claims suits
Municipal Courts
Handle crimes that are punishable by fine only
Function of the State Court System
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
County Courts
Constitutional County Courts
 Have appellate jurisdiction over the justice and municipal courts
 Preside over Class A and Class B Misdemeanors
 Deal with civil trials involving “moderate” amounts of money
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Statutory County Courts and Statutory Probate Courts
 These courts deal with civil matters.
Structure of the State Court System
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District Courts
Judges must be licensed attorneys.
Have original jurisdiction over felony cases
Deal in civil disputes between $200-$500, and cases dealing with divorce,
title to land, and contested elections
Court of Appeals
Have intermediate appellate jurisdiction in criminal and civil cases
Structure of the State Court System

Texas Supreme Court and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
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
Texas Supreme Court
 Has final appellate jurisdiction in civil cases
 Responsible for licensing attorneys and attorney discipline
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
 Has final appellate jurisdiction in criminal cases