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A Dual Court System. Chapter 3. Federal Court System. The federal court system gets its power from the constitution . “The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such inferior Courts as the congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”.
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A Dual Court System Chapter 3
Federal Court System • The federal court system gets its power from the constitution. • “The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such inferior Courts as the congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”
Federal courts have jurisdiction over… • Actions in which the US or a state is a party • Cases that raise a federal question • Diversity of citizen case for more than $75,000 • Admiralty or bankruptcy
District Courts • Original jurisdiction • Civil and criminal cases • With or without a jury • 94 district courts
Court of Appeals • Appellate jurisdiction • Intermediate court • District circuit in which it was tried • 12 judicial circuits-1 “federal circuit” • Total of 13 court of appeals • No witnesses heard and no new evidence • No juries • Only questions of law can be answered not fact.
U.S. Special Courts • Have jurisdiction only in certain kinds of cases
Supreme Court • Highest court in the land • Both original and appellate jurisdiction • It has original jurisdiction in cases involving • Ambassadors, consuls or other public ministers • A state is party
Supreme Court Continued… • Must hear all cases concerning the constitutionality of federal law • Cases come from the US court of appeals or State Supreme Courts