1. Teen Rights & the Law Ms. Stewart
Basics of US
Court System
Prepared by Andy Austin
United States Magistrate Judge

2. Three Branches of Government

3. Three Branches of Government
US Supreme Court - Judicial Branch
US Capitol -Legislative Branch
White House - Executive Branch

4. Three Branches of Government

5. Three Branches of Government
United States President
Donald Trump
Executive Branch
United States Supreme Court
Chief Justice John Roberts
Judicial Branch
United States Congressman
Lloyd Doggett
Legislative Branch

6. State vs. Federal Government

7. Branches of government - Texas

8. Branches of government - Texas
Texas Supreme Court
Chief Justice Nathan Hecht
Judicial Branch
Governor Greg Abbott
Executive Branch
Texas Senator Kirk Watson
Legislative Branch

9. Branches of government
Judicial Branch

10. Branches of government
Executive Branch

11. Executive branch – federal system
Criminal cases

12. Executive branch – federal system
Criminal cases
Loretta Lynch
Former United States Attorney General (served under Obama)

13. Executive branch – federal system Soon to be this?
Criminal cases
Jeff Sessions
Future United States Attorney General? (nominated by Trump, confirmed today?)

14. Executive branch – state system
Criminal cases

15. Executive branch – state system
Criminal cases
Ken Paxton
Attorney General of Texas
Margaret Moore
Travis County District Attorney

16. State vs. Federal Court - Austin courts for field trip

17. State Court Courts of general jurisdiction
Can file any civil or criminal charge in state court unless statute prohibits that
Certain cases can only be filed in state court: family law cases (divorce, custody); probate cases (wills)
In Texas, state judges are elected
Organized by county – court held in county seat

18. Federal Court Courts of limited jurisdiction
You can only bring a case in federal court if there is a statute/law giving you the right to file charges or suit in federal court
Judges are appointed
Divided into geographic districts - 94 districts in total

19. What or who creates the federal courts?

20. Article III, Section 1
“The judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time establish. The judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behaviour, and shall, at stated times, receive for their services, a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.”

21. 12 U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal
The Federal Courts
U.S. Supreme Court
(9 judges)
12 U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal
(179 judges)
U.S. Magistrate Courts
(523 judges)
U.S. District Courts (94)
(667 judges)
U.S. Bankruptcy Courts
(352 judges)

22. Texas State Courts Texas Supreme Court (9 judges)
14 Regional Courts of Appeal
(80 judges)
County Courts
(504 judges)
District Courts
(454 judges)
Probate Courts
(18 judges)
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

23. Trial court Question: How many judges?

24. Court of Appeals Question: How many judges/justices?

25. Western District of Texas trial court divisions
Question: Which division of the Western District of Texas serves Austin?

26. Question: Which US Court of Appeals serves Texas?

27. United States Supreme Court Question: How many judges/justices?

28. United States Supreme Court Question: How many judges/justices?

29. United States Supreme Court Question: Who will replace Scalia
United States Supreme Court Question: Who will replace Scalia? Trump’s nominee, Gorsuch?

30. United States Supreme Court http://www. supremecourt
Chief Judge John Roberts
Antonin Scalia
Anthony Kennedy
Clarence Thomas
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Stephen Breyer
Samuel Alito
Sonia Sotomayor
Elena Kagan
Trump’s nominee – Neil Gorsuch

31. Your Supreme Court Justice http://www. supremecourt
Name
Where/when born
Current age
Race/ethnicity, sex
When appointed and by which president
(who is affiliated with which political party)
Years on US Supreme Court so far
Job history before became justice (generally)
University/college and law school attended
Interesting other facts (at least five)

32. US Supreme Court’s (very small) docket
10,000 cases filed (2010 term)
82 cases decided

33. Separation of Powers What does each branch of government do in relation to our laws?

34. Separation of Powers What does each branch of government do in relation to our laws?
(1) The legislative branch
WRITES the law.

35. Separation of Powers What does each branch of government do in relation to our laws?
(1) The legislative branch
WRITES the law.
(2) The executive branch
ENFORCES the law.

36. Separation of Powers What does each branch of government do in relation to our laws?
The judicial branch
INTERPRETS the law.
(1) The legislative branch
WRITES the law.
(2) The executive branch
ENFORCES the law.

37. Role of Supreme Court Interpret laws adopted by Congress
If a law is not clear, it is left to the Courts to determine the proper way to apply the law to a particular fact scenario
Interpret the Constitution
The Supreme Court is the final decision maker with regard to the meaning of the Constitution

38. Constitutional interpretation
How does a court decide what the Constitution means?
What do you do when you need to figure out what is meant by a particular piece of writing?
Ask the person who wrote it what they meant
Look up the meaning of the words in a dictionary
Try to figure out why the author was writing what was written
Look at other similar writings to help you interpret the piece you’re reviewing

39. Constitutional interpretation
All of these are models for ways in which judges have interpreted our Constitution
Original meaning
What did the drafters think the language meant?
Perfectionist (the “Living Constitution”)
What is the best way to interpret the language to get the best result for society?
Pragmatic or minimal interpretation
What is the most limited way to read the language so that we don’t change a lot of prior decisions?