judicial branch Flashcards
What article created the national judiciary?
Article lll
What are the two court systems?
1) The national judiciary that spans the country (120 courts)
2) Courts run by each of the 50 states (where most cases are heard)
The Constitution created only the…
Supreme Court, giving Congress the power to create any lower courts
Define jurisdiction
Authority of a court to hear a case
Constitution states that federal courts may hear a case because either:
1) the subject matter is interpretation of the Constitution
2) The parties involved are U.S. agencies, officers, ambassadors
Define exclusive jurisdiction
Cases that can only be heard in federal courts
Define concurrent jurisdiction
Cases that may be tried in a federal court or state court
Define original jurisdiction
A court in which a case is first heard
Define appellate jurisdiction
A court that hears a case on appeal from a lower court
Supreme Court exercises…
Both original and appellate jurisdiction
How many federal judicial districts are there?
94, 1 in each state
The district courts hear a wide range of…
Criminal and civil cases
How many circuit judges are there in appeals courts?
179 circuit judges in 12 appeals courts, 1 supreme court justice in each circuit
Define judicial review
The power of a court to determine the constitutionality of a government action
Which court case did the Supreme Court first assert its power of judicial review?
Marbury v. Madison
