Judicial Branch 3

Which federal courts usually have original jurisdiction?

• appellate courts

• circuit courts

• district courts

• supreme courts

Which court official prosecutes people accused of breaking federal law?

• court clerk

• magistrate

• U.S. attorney

• U.S. Marshal

A circuit court may reverse the result of a trial if the judges decide that

• the defendant was wrongly accused.

• the lower court needs to retry the case.

• the original judge made an error when interpreting the law.

• the person who won the lawsuit really should have lost.

The two kinds of cases that courts hear are

• criminal cases and civil cases.

• criminal cases and federal cases.

• federal cases and state cases.

• private cases and public cases.

How does a case come before the Supreme Court?

• All federal cases automatically come before the Supreme Court.

• Any case in which a state government loses is appealed to the Supreme Court.

• The justices of the Supreme Court choose the cases they will hear.

• The Senate determines the cases that the Supreme Court will hear each year.

In which of the following would federal courts have jurisdiction?

• disputes between two citizens of the same state

• disputes between two states

• violations of local ordinances

• violations of state laws

The Constitution limits the jurisdiction of federal courts to

• allow them to focus on the most important cases.

• allow them to hear only disputes between two private parties.

• prevent them from handling cases that involve the federal government.

• prevent them from interfering with state courts.

What kinds of trials do federal district courts hold?

• They hold appeals for criminal and civil trials.

• They hold criminal and civil trials.

• They hold only civil trials.

• They hold only criminal trials.

A dispute between an American company and a foreign government would be heard in

• federal court.

• the foreign country involved in the dispute.

• the state where the company is based.

• the Supreme Court.

District court judges are

• appointed by senators from their states.

• appointed by the president.

• elected by the people.

• hired by the court system.