*Judicial Branch
*Interprets the Laws
*Supreme Court
Justices are
appointed for life
by the President
*Approved by the
Senate
*Congress
determines the
number of
justices (9currently)

Biographies
Types of Federal Courts

Inferior Courts

Constitutional Courts – Article III Courts
Special Courts – Created by Congress

See Page 507

How Federal Cases are Appealed


Writ of Certiorari – Order by the Court directing
a lower court to send up the record in a given
case for review.
By Petition – 4 of 9 judges have to agree to hear
the case.
Federal Courts Jurisdiction
1. The right or power of a court to hear a case.
2. Federal courts hear cases based on one of two
reasons:


a) Subject Matter
b) Party Involvement
3. Types of Federal Jurisdiction




a) Original - Right Of court to hear a case for the 1st
time.
b) Appellate - right of court to hear an appeal from a
lower court.
c) Exclusive - right of only national courts to hear a
case
d) Concurrent - When both National and state level
courts have the right to hear a case.
State Court System
1. Courts of Record-courts where every word is recorded by a stenographer
a) State Supreme Court - court of last resort in Arizona structure
b) State Court of Appeals - began in 1964 to relieve Supreme Court of it's heavy case
load
c) Superior Court - county level courts, with original jurisdiction, the trial courts of
the state court structure
2. Courts not of Record
a) Justice of the Peace Courts
1. divided by precincts established by the courts of records
2. elected to 4 yr. term
3. misdemeanor crimes and civil claims under $1,000
4. elected constable serves the court
b) Municipal or Magistrate Courts
1. judge is chosen and serves at the discretion of the City Council
2. used in each city or town which incorporates jurisdiction the same as
Justice of the Peace Courts & the criminal cases stemming from violation of
city ordinances.
Merit Selection of Judges
a) judges in the Courts of Records are chosen by the Governor for their first term
b) must be elected by a 50% vote of support during election.
Nomination Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
President chats with some key senators
about possible choices.
The nomination is sent to the Senate
Judiciary Committee.
JC collects info – background check,
record, qualifications
JC holds a hearing on the nominee. Ask
questions, witnesses speak.
5. JC votes and makes a
recommendation to
Senate
6. Full Senate debate
7.
3/5 of the Senate (60
senators) is required to
end debate. If enough
senators wish to delay a
vote, they can filibuster.
8.
Senate votes on the
nomination
Elena Kagan
Terms
a) Federal Judges serve a tenure for life
b) Judges may be removed from office for



1) Death
2) Resignation
3) Impeachment
c) Special Court Judges Serve specific length terms
 1) Court of Military Appeals - 15 years
 2) Tax court - 15 years
 3) DC Courts - 4 or 8 years
 4) Territorial courts - 4 or 8 years
 5) Court of Claims - 15 years
 6) Us. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims-15 yrs.
MONEY
Chief Justice assign’s cases to other justices



earns 243,900.00 dollars per year
if worked for 10 years or is 70 years old can earn that amount after retirement
other Justices earn 223,500.00 dollars
Compensation


a) Federal Court Judges retire at full salary for the rest
of their lives.
b) Salaries of Federal court judges range from
$158,300 District $128,100 Appeals
*Before a case can be heard by the
Supreme Court:
a.
b.
must involve a Federal Law
must involve a Constitutional Law
How Supreme Court Works:
1. Sit for 8 months a year (Oct. 1 to sometime in June)
2. Hear a case for two weeks, then decide those cases for
about two weeks.
3. Mondays are decision days
4. Fridays are when Sup. Court decides what new cases are
to be heard.
5. Around 8000 cases a year are appealed to the Sup.
Court. They only hear about 100 to 250 of them.
6. Their decisions are often written
a) majority opinions explain how majority vote decided
the case.
b) minority opinions explain how minority vote decided
the case.
c) dissenting opinions are people who voted on either
side, but for different reasons.
Precedent Making Cases
Judicial Review - The U.S. Supreme Court
makes National Policy by ruling
Constitutionality of Laws
List three court cases about Judicial
Review