Government Judiciary Branch

Question 1

Difference between state court and federal court

Answer 1

State court: Established by a state (within states there are also local courts that are established by cities, counties, and other municipalities, which we are including in the general discussion of state courts).
Federal court: Established under the U.S. Constitution by Congress to decide disputes involving the Constitution and laws passed by Congress

Question 2

Jurisdiction of the Federal court

Answer 2

Cases involving federal laws, treaties with foreign nations, Constitutional interpretations, bankruptcy, and maritime law

Question 3

Maritime law

Answer 3

Distinct body of law that governs maritime questions and offenses; federal court has jurisdiction over it

Question 4

Duties of the Supreme Court

Answer 4

The Supreme Court’s decisions are binding on all lower courts. Today Nomination to the Supreme Court is a high honor. In 1891, justices felt differently. They earned much of their pay riding the circuit, or traveling to hold court in justice’s assigned region of the country.

Today, the Court hears all its cases at the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

Question 5

Specialized court of law that hears and adjudicates tax-related issues

Answer 5

U.S. Tax Court

Question 6

President submits the name of a candidate for judicial appointment

Answer 6

Senatorial courtesy

Question 7

Authority of a trial court to be first to hear the case

Answer 7

Original jurisdiction

Question 8

Authority held by a court to hear a case that is appealed from the lower court

Answer 8

Appellate jurisdiction

Question 9

Person engaged in a lawsuit

Answer 9

Litigants

Question 10

Authority of a court to rule on certain cases

Answer 10

Jurisdiction

Question 11

Authority shared by both federal and state courts

Answer 11

Concurrent jurisdiction

Question 12

Assistant to be a judge to do legal research, write opinions, and provide assistance

Answer 12

Law clerk

Question 13

Formal charge by a grand jury

Answer 13

Indictment

Question 14

A court in each of the 11 federal judicial districts of the U.S. that functions as a court of record, exercises appellate jurisdiction, is presided over by three or sometimes two judges, and may be overruled only by the Supreme Court of the U.S.

Answer 14

U.S. Court of Appeals

Question 15

Written explanation of a Supreme Court decision

Answer 15

Opinion

Question 16

Trial jury that weighs the evidence presented at trial and renders verdict

Answer 16

Petit jury

Question 17

Traveling to hold court in a justice’s assigned region to a country

Answer 17

“Riding the Circuit”

Question 18

A brief, unassigned statement of a Supreme Court decision

Answer 18

Per curiam opinion

Question 19

Opinion that agrees with the decision made but for different reasins

Answer 19

Concurring opinion

Question 20

Model on which to base later decisions or actions

Answer 20

Precedent