1. Coach Kuntz United States History
The Judicial Branch
Coach Kuntz
United States History

2. Roles of the Judicial Branch
-Rule on cases where federal law was violated
-Decide if decisions from lower courts were correct
-Listen to cases involving multiple states
-Decide if laws passed by Congress or if Presidential acts are unconstitutional.

3. Judicial Branch Qualifications
-The Constitution does not list any requirements to be a federal court judge.
-Judges must be nominated by the President and approved by Congress.
-Judges serve for LIFE! They either die in office, resign/retire, or are impeached and convicted.

4. Setting up the Courts -The United States Constitution:
Created a Supreme Court
Gave Congress the ability to establish any other Federal Courts they needed.
-In 1789, Congress set up a system of lower courts. These lower Courts are the District Courts and the Court of Appeals

5. 3 Major Steps in the Federal System
# of Courts 1
Supreme Court 12
Court of Appeals 91
District Court

6. Lower Courts
-Most cases begin in the District Courts. Judges or juries hear a case and make a decision (a ruling). -If a party disagrees with the decision of the judge or jury, they can appeal the decision to a higher course. Appeal- asking that a decision be reviewed by a higher court. -Decisions made in district courts can be appealed to a United State Court of Appeals (Also called “Appellate Courts”) -Appellate Court judges decide if district court judges interpreted and applied the law correctly.

7. The Supreme Court
-This Court has 8 Justices and 1 Chief Justice (9 judges total).
-The Supreme court is considered the “highest court in the land”- Its decision is final.
-The Court typically only hears appeals from lower courts.
-Main Job: Judicial Review (determining if executive and legislative action is unconstitutional).