Business Law 3-2: Federal Court System

What is the primary function of the U.S. Supreme Court?

• To hear new evidence in federal cases

• To exercise appellate jurisdiction over cases

• To establish new federal laws

• To manage state court systems

Which of the following courts has original jurisdiction over cases involving ambassadors?

• Federal District Courts

• Federal Courts of Appeals

• U.S. Supreme Court

• State Supreme Courts

Explain the difference between general jurisdiction and specialized jurisdiction in federal courts.

• General jurisdiction courts can hear any type of case, while specialized jurisdiction courts hear only specific types of cases.

• General jurisdiction courts only hear criminal cases, while specialized jurisdiction courts hear civil cases.

• General jurisdiction courts are higher in hierarchy than specialized jurisdiction courts.

• General jurisdiction courts are located in every state, while specialized jurisdiction courts are only in Washington D.C.

Why might a case be tried in a federal district court instead of a state court?

• The case involves a federal question or diversity of citizenship with more than $75,000 in dispute.

• The case involves only state laws and parties from the same state.

• The case is a minor civil dispute under $10,000.

• The case involves a traffic violation.

Analyze why Congress might have delayed establishing the U.S. Supreme Court after the Constitution was ratified.

• There was a lack of qualified judges at the time.

• Some citizens believed a Supreme Court was unnecessary.

• The Articles of Confederation already had a Supreme Court.

• The Constitution did not initially grant Congress this power.

What is the role of the federal courts of appeals in the judicial system?

• To conduct trials and hear new evidence

• To review decisions made by district courts and specialized federal courts

• To create new laws and regulations

• To manage the operations of state courts

Describe the process by which a case reaches the U.S. Supreme Court from a state supreme court.

• The case must involve a federal question and be granted a writ of certiorari by the U.S. Supreme Court.

• The case must be appealed directly from the trial court to the U.S. Supreme Court.

• The case must be approved by the President before reaching the U.S. Supreme Court.

• The case must involve a state law issue only.

Evaluate the impact of the Federal Judiciary Act on the structure of the federal court system.

• It established the U.S. Supreme Court and district courts, creating a foundation for the federal judiciary.

• It abolished all state courts and replaced them with federal courts.

• It limited the power of the U.S. Supreme Court to only original jurisdiction cases.

• It created only specialized courts for tax and bankruptcy matters.

What is the significance of the "writ of certiorari" in the U.S. Supreme Court's appellate process?

• It allows the Supreme Court to hear new evidence in a case.

• It compels a lower court to send the record of a case for review.

• It is a decision that automatically overturns a lower court's ruling.

• It is a document that establishes a new federal law.

Discuss the reasons why Congress established the federal Courts of Appeal in 1891.

• To reduce the workload of the U.S. Supreme Court by handling appeals from district courts.

• To eliminate the need for district courts in the federal system.

• To create a new level of courts that would only handle criminal cases.

• To provide a direct appeal route from state courts to the U.S. Supreme Court.