1. Courts
Mrs. Hill

2. Venue
Determination of which state or federal court should hear the case.
Venue – Latin for “neighborhood”
1/13/2019
State Case – County court where the defendant resides.
Federal Case: Federal statute governs which district court is proper.

3. State Courts Broad Jurisdiction
Cases deal with citizens within the state borders
Examples: Robberies, Traffic Violations, Broken Contract, Family Dispute
Not allowed to hear cases:
-- against the US
-- specific federal law
-- antitrust/bankruptcy

4. Virginia circuit and district courts

5. Virginia Court Structure
Virginia Supreme Court
Court of Appeals
Circuit Courts
District Courts
Traffic Courts
Domestic Courts
Juvenile Courts
Small Claims Courts

6. Federal Courts
The trial court (US District Court) has jurisdiction over
   - Federal Constitutional matters
   - Violation of federal statutes (Federal Questions)
   - Cases involving the US
   -  Civil matters in excess of $75,000 AND Diversity of Citizenship (all parties are from different states)

7. Federal Court System
U.S District Court – trial court (one or more in each state)
Circuit Court of Appeals – the appellate court (13 federal circuit courts)
U.S. Supreme Court – the highest court

8. Federal Courts in Virginia

9. Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS)
Apply: complete a writ of certiorari
If accepted: the court grants cert
Less than 1% of cases are accepted
Can hear constitutional matters, appeals on all cases brought in federal court or state court cases that deal with federal law
Appointed for life (President and then confirmed by the Senate)
Requirements for Justices not mentioned in the Constitution
Article III of the Constitution – “The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme court…”

10. What jurisdiction’s law applies?
1/13/2019
Federal vs. State

11. Jurisdiction
The extent of a court’s authority to hear and resolve specific disputes

12. State & Federal Jurisdiction
In some cases both federal and state courts have jurisdiction.
This allows the parties to choose whether to go to state or federal court.

13. Examples
Most criminal cases involve violations of state law and are tried in state court
Robbery is a crime (found in state law)
However, it would be a federal crime to rob a bank whose deposits are insured by a federal agency

14. Example Federal Court can hear cases involving state law:
EX: State law forbids slaughtering animals outside certain areas
A neighborhood association brings a case in state court against a defendant who sacrifices a goat in his back yard
When the court issues an injunction forbidding further sacrifices, the defendant challenges the state law in federal court as an unconstitutional infringement on his religious freedom

15. Circuit Courts of Appeals in the United States

16. Judges Federal State Selected by the President Confirmed by the Senate
May hold the position for life
May retire or resign or be impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate
14 Federal judges have been impeached
Magistrate judges (selected by district judges and serve for a specified time)
Judges can be elected
Usually distinguished attorneys

17. Jury selection - voir dire
ment/departments/courts/circuit -court- judges/Documents/Questionnair eFAQS.pdf

18. Precedent and Stare Decisis
A previous court decision on a legal question that guides future cases with similar questions
How does it work?