Chapter 4 Slide 1
CHAPTER 4
The Court System
Lessons
4-1 Dispute Resolution and the Courts
4-2 Federal Court System
4-3 State Court Systems
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Chapter 4 Slide 2
LESSON 4-1
Dispute Resolution
and the Courts
GOALS
 Explain how disputes can be settled without
resort to the courts
 Name the different levels of courts and describe
their powers
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Chapter 4 Slide 3
CAN DISPUTES BE
RESOLVED PRIVATELY?
Mediation
Arbitration
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Chapter 4 Slide 4
MEDIATION
Mediator tries to develop a solution
acceptable to both sides of the dispute.
The actions of a mediator are
advisory—not binding.
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Chapter 4 Slide 5
ARBITRATION
An arbitrator usually holds an informal
hearing to determine what happened.
The arbitrator’s decision is binding on
both parties.
The decision can be enforced by court
order if necessary.
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Chapter 4 Slide 6
DIFFERENT LEVELS
OF COURTS
Trial courts
Appellate courts
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Chapter 4 Slide 7
TRIAL COURTS
A trial court is the first court to hear a
dispute.
A trial court has original jurisdiction over
a case.
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Chapter 4 Slide 8
APPELLATE COURTS
An appellate court reviews decisions of
lower courts when a party claims an
error was made during the previous
proceeding.
Appellate courts are concerned with
errors of law rather than questions of
fact
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Chapter 4 Slide 9
POSSIBLE APPELLATE
COURT DECISIONS
 Affirm (uphold) the decision of the lower court
 Reverse (overturn) the decision of the lower
court
 Amend (change) the decision of the lower court
 Remand the case—send it back to the trial court
for corrective action or possibly a new trial.
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LESSON 4-2
Chapter 4 Slide 10
Federal Court System
GOALS
 Identify the source of power of the federal courts
 Name the various levels of federal courts and
describe their jurisdictions
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Chapter 4 Slide 11
ORIGINS OF OUR
FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM
Federal courts received their power
from the Constitution.
The Constitution granted Congress the
power to establish courts inferior to the
U.S. Supreme Court.
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Chapter 4 Slide 12
JURISDICTION OF
THE FEDERAL COURTS
Federal District Courts
Federal Courts of Appeals
United States Supreme Court
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Chapter 4 Slide 13
FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM
United States
Supreme Court
13 United States Courts of
Appeals
(12 Circuit Courts)
(1 Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit)
State
Supreme
Courts
United States
District
Courts
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Specialized
Federal
Courts
Many Federal
Agencies
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Chapter 4 Slide 14
LESSON 4-3
State Court Systems
GOALS
 Compare the structure of a typical state court
with the structure of the federal courts
 Identify state courts of specialized jurisdiction
 Discuss the jurisdiction of the various typical
state courts
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Chapter 4 Slide 15
STRUCTURE OF
STATE COURT SYSTEMS
State trial courts
State courts of appeals
State supreme courts
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Chapter 4 Slide 16
A TYPICAL
STATE COURT SYSTEM
Supreme Court
Intermediate Appeals Court
(In Populous States)
Trial Court
(Of Original General Jurisdiction)
Family Court
Juvenile
Court
Municipal
Court
Justice’s Court
(The Court of a Justice of the Peace)
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Probate
Court
Criminal
Court
Small Claims Court
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Chapter 4 Slide 17
STATE COURTS WITH
SPECIALIZED JURISDICTION
Associate circuit courts
City or municipal courts
Small claims courts
Juvenile courts
Probate courts
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