Unit 6 Voc

Judicial Branch

• The branch of government responsible for creating laws

• The branch of government responsible for interpreting laws and administering justice

• The branch of government responsible for enforcing laws

• The branch of government responsible for legislative review

2. Article III

• The section of the U.S. Constitution that establishes the executive branch

• The section of the U.S. Constitution that establishes the judicial branch

• The section of the U.S. Constitution that establishes Congress

• The section of the U.S. Constitution that establishes the Bill of Rights

State and Federal Courts

• A. Courts handling international cases

• B. Courts exclusively handling state cases

• C. Two levels of courts in the U.S.; state courts handle state law cases, and federal courts handle cases involving federal law or disputes between states

• D. Courts that only handle civil disputes

District Court

• The trial-level court in the federal system where cases are initially heard

• The highest court in the land

• A court that reviews decisions made by other courts

• The only court with original jurisdiction

Appeals Court

• A court that initially hears cases

• A court that reviews decisions made in lower courts, looking for errors in the application of the law

• A court with original jurisdiction only

• A court that enforces laws rather than interprets them

 Supreme Court

• The lowest court in the federal system

• The highest federal court in the United States with one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices, appointed by the President with Senate approval for life terms unless they choose to resign

• The lowest court in the federal system

• A court that only handles cases with appellate jurisdiction

Original Jurisdiction

• A. The authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts

• B. The authority of a court to hear a case for the first time

• C. The jurisdiction that is shared by two or more courts

• D. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court only

Appellate Jurisdiction

• The authority of a court to hear a case for the first time

• The authority of a court to review and possibly change the outcome of cases decided by lower courts

• Jurisdiction over federal and state laws

• The power to declare laws unconstitutional

Exclusive Jurisdiction.

• When two or more courts have the power to hear a particular case

• When a court has the power to review the decisions of other courts

• When only one court has the power to hear a particular case

• When a court can declare laws unconstitutional

Concurrent Jurisdiction

• When only one court has the authority to hear a case

• When two or more courts have the authority to hear the same type of case

• When cases are heard only by the Supreme Court

• When a court hears appeals only