2. Federal District Court (Step 1)
A district court is where the trial takes place – the job of the jury or judges is to hear cases for the first time and review evidence to decide who is right
They follow the precedents set by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals in interpreting laws
Oliver Brown was a parent of a black student who was denied access to a white school in Topeka, Kansas.
In 1951, Brown appealed to the US District Court for the District of Kansas (Brown v. Board of Education)
The District Court here sided with the school board, saying separate but equal schools were allowed
What happens at a district court?
Where do they get their directions?
What did the District Court decide in Brown v. Board of Education?

3. Federal Court of Appeals (Step 2)
If you lose at the District Court, that doesn’t mean you’ve totally lost. The Court of Appeals (also called Circuit Court) is designed to check for errors that occur at lower courts
Decisions made by a Circuit Court must be followed by district courts
The Brown case was able to skip the Circuit Court step because it was rolled in with other segregation cases…taking it to the Supreme Court (this is unusual)
The 4th Circuit Court upheld this week a decision by a Virginia District Court that made gay marriage legal in that state.
What are Courts of Appeals also called? What are their purpose?
Who must follow decisions of Courts of Appeals?
How does the decision of the 4th Circuit Court impact us? (Hint: look at the map)

4. U.S. Supreme Court (Step 3)
If the Court of Appeals turns you down, your last option is to go to the US Supreme Court
The Supreme Court makes the final decisions on cases, and its decisions set precedents that must be followed by all lower courts
In Brown, SCOTUS decided separate schools are INHERENTLY unequal. It overturned its own previous decision in Plessy v. Ferguson.
In the gay marriage case, SCOTUS decided to NOT hear the case, meaning the Circuit Court decision stood.
Explain the role of the Supreme Court in the federal court system.
Who has the power to overturn Supreme Court decisions?

5. County (Trial) Court (Step 1)
Usually resolve non-controversial cases (small claims, traffic)
County courts are responsible for hearing evidence and deciding who is right – usually done by a jury.
Usually resolve non-controversial cases (small claims, traffic)
Miranda v. Arizona started when at his trial, the prosecutor presented a confession to rape and murder that Miranda had signed without being notified of his rights.
Jury decided Miranda was guilty, but his case wasn’t dead yet.
Explain the role of county courts in the court system.
Why do you think the county court ruled against Miranda, even if his rights weren’t read to him?

6. Superior Court (Step 2) and Court of Appeals (Step 3)
In North Carolina, you can appeal a county court ruling to a Superior Court, and then a Court of Appeals
These upper level courts check errors at lower courts
They also follow the decisions of higher courts
What is the role of Superior Courts and Courts of Appeals?
Why is it important that these courts exist? Think about some problems we’ve seen with juries in today’s cases.

7. State Supreme Court (Step 4)
What is the role of a State Supreme Court?
Are you surprised the Arizona State Supreme Court ruled this way? Why or why not?
Last court at the state level that can hear cases
Their decisions must be followed by all courts in the state
In Miranda, the Arizona State Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the trial court, saying the confession was acceptable even if obtained without telling Miranda his rights

8. U.S. Supreme Court (Step 5)
After a state Supreme Court, the only remaining option is the U.S. Supreme Court
A decision of the U.S. Supreme Court must be followed by all lower courts, state or federal
In Miranda, the Supreme Court decided to overturn the decision of the Arizona Supreme Court and established Miranda Rights.
Where can a case go after it goes through the state Supreme Court?
Explain whether or not states have to follow the U.S. Supreme Court.
What is it called when a court declares an act of a state unconstitutional?