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18. The Federal Court System. The National Judiciary. The Inferior Courts. The Supreme Court. The Special Courts. i nferior courts. i nferior courts. l ower federal courts, those beneath the Supreme Court. jurisdiction. jurisdiction.
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inferior courts lower federal courts, those beneath the Supreme Court
jurisdiction authority of a court to hear (to try and to decide) a case the power “to say the law”
exclusive jurisdiction cases can be heard only in the Federal courts
concurrent jurisdiction federal and state courts share the power to hear those cases
plaintiff the person who files the suit
defendant the person whom the complaint is against
original jurisdiction a court in which a case is first heard
appellate jurisdiction court of appeals
criminal case a defendant is tried for committing some action that Congress has declared by law to be a federal crime
civil case some noncriminal matter, such as a dispute over the terms of a contract or a claim of patent infringement
docket list of cases to be heard
writ of certiorari “to be made more certain” an order by the Court directing a lower Court to send up the record in a given case for its review
certificate process used when a lower court is not clear about the procedure or the rule of law that should apply in a case
majority opinion announces the Court’s decision in a case and sets out the reasoning on which it is based
precedent examples to be followed in similar cases as they arise in the lower courts or reach the Supreme Court
concurring opinion to add or emphasize a point that was not made in the majority opinion
dissenting opinion often written by those justices who do not agree with the Court’s majority decision
redress satisfaction of a claim, payment
courts-martial serve the special disciplinary needs of the armed forces and are not a part of the federal court system
civilian tribunal a court operating as part of the judicial branch, entirely separate from the military establishment