Criminal Case

Civil Case

Original Jurisdiction

Appellate Jurisdiction

Concurrent Jurisdiction

Government or state resolves a DISPUTE between two parties

Allows certain types of cases to be tried in EITHER federal or state courts

Courts that hear reviews or APPEALS of decision from the lower courts

Government or state CHARGES an individual with violating one or more laws

Authority to hear a case for the FIRST time

Senatorial Courtesy

Writ of Certiorari

Brief

Judicial Activism

Judicial Restraint

Belief the Supreme Court should play a more active role in creating national policies and answering questions of conflict in society

Allowing senators from the president’s party who represents the state with the vacancy to approve or disapprove nominees

A detailed statement of the facts of the case supporting a particular position by presenting arguments based on relevant facts and citations from previous case

Belief the Supreme Court should operate strictly within the limits of the Constitution and only answer questions if a clear violation of the Constitution is present

An order by the Court (when petitioned) directing a lower court to send up records of a case for review