The National Judiciary

1
The National Judiciary

• Chapter 18 Section 1

2
Why the creation of the Courts?

• During the Articles of Confederation states
  courts laws couldnt enforce laws outside the
  states
• Alexander Hamilton argued on the need of a Nat'l
  Court system
• Framers of the Const. created the Judicial Branch
  w/the III Article

3
Dual Court System

• 2 separate court systems
• 1. National Judiciary spans the entire
  country w/more than 120 courts
• 2. Each of the 50 states has its own
  system of courts, well into the 1000s

4
Two Kinds of Federal Courts

• Constitution creates the Supreme Court
• Congress creates Inferior Courts
• a) Constitutional Courts
• b) Special Courts

5
Federal Court Jurisdiction

• Constitutional Courts hears most cases in Federal
  Courts
• They have jurisdiction (authority) to hear,
  to try , and to decide a case
• Jurisdiction literally means to say the law

6
Types of Jurisdiction

• Exclusive Jurisdiction- certain cases are heard
  only in federal courts ex. Ambassadors,
  officials from foreign countries- Federal crimes
• Concurrent Jurisdiction- Both the Fed. And the
  states share powers to hear cases ex. Citizens
  from different states
• Plaintiff, defendant

7
Cont

• Original Jurisdiction- Court where case was first
  heard
• Appellate Jurisdiction- A court that hears a case
  on appeal from lower court

8
Appointment of Judges

• They are appointed by the President
• They are confirmed by the Senate
• President appoints men/women from their own party
  (Republicans/Democrats), they may have an impact
  on how they decide cases as they interpret the
  law (Conservative/Liberal)