The Federal Judiciary

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The Federal Judiciary
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Federal and State Court Systems
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Jurisdictions of the U.S. Supreme Court

• 1.) Original ? hearing a case first (i.e. a trial
  court)
• a.) two or more states
• b.) a state and the U.S. government
• c.) foreign ambassadors and other diplomats
• d.) a state and a citizen of a different state
• 2.) Appellate ? reviewing the appropriate
  application of rules and procedures and
  safeguarding of constitutional rights
• a.) lower federal courts (e.g. district courts,
  circuit courts)
• b.) highest state courts

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Circuit Boundaries of Courts of Appeals
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Civil and Criminal Cases
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Partisan Decision Making? Democratic and
Republican Judges
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Ideological Ranking of Supreme Court Justices
Civil Liberties and Economic Cases

• Notes 1 (Conservative) ? 9 (Liberal) Covering
  civil liberties and economics cases up to 1994
• Source Created based on data by Segal, Timpone,
  and Howard, "Buyer Beware? Presidential Influence
  Through Supreme Court Appointments." Political
  Research Quarterly, (2000).

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Types of Opinions Issued by Justices

• 1.) Majority Opinion ? is written by or assigned
  by the Chief Justice if voting with the Majority
  otherwise, it is written by the most senior
  justice voting with majority
• 2.) Concurring Opinion ? is written by any
  justice who agrees with the decision but
  disagrees with the majority opinion
• 3.) Dissenting Opinion ? is written by any
  justice who voted with the minority