US Federal Court System

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Powers given to the judicial branch by the Constitution

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The Constitution established one "Supreme" court and gave Congress the power to establish more courts as needed.

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Three levels of the US Federal Court System

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1. District 2. Appeals 3. Supreme

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Function of the Supreme Court

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Reviews cases to determine if the Constitution is being violated.

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Function of the Appeals Court

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A 3 judge panel reviews district court cases for fairness.

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Function of the District Court

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All cases begin here. (Original jurisdiction)

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Definition of original jurisdiction

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Hearing a court case for the first time.

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Level of court that uses a jury

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District

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Judicial review

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The Supreme Court has the final say about what is constitutional.

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Judicial review allows the judicial branch to

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1) Interpret the Constitution and decide what it means. 2) Stop the executive and legislative branches from doing things that go against the Constitution.

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Roles of the Supreme Court

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1) Ensures that each person in the United States enjoys equal justice under the law. 2) Interprets the meaning of the words and phrases in the Constitution and applies them to everyday life.