1. Section 2.1

2. Chapter 2 The Court System Section 2.1 A Dual Court System Section 2.2
Trial Procedures

3. What You’ll Learn
How to determine a court’s jurisdiction (pp )
How to explain the structure of the federal court system (p. 28)

4. What You’ll Learn
How to explain the role of the United States Supreme Court (p. 30)
How to explain the structure of the state court system (p. 30)

5. What You’ll Learn
How to describe the difference between a juvenile who is unruly and one who is delinquent (p. 31)

6. Why It’s Important
Learning the structure of the court systems in the United States will help you understand how the legal system works.

7. Legal Terms
jurisdiction (p. 28)
diversity of citizenship (p.28)
original jurisdiction (p. 28)
appellate courts (p. 29)
intermediate courts (p. 29)
appellate jurisdiction (p. 29)

8. Legal Terms
limited jurisdiction (p. 30)
general jurisdiction (p. 31)
delinquent child (p. 31)
unruly child (p. 31)
neglected or abused child (p. 32)

9. Section Outline The Federal Court System District Courts
Courts of Appeals
Special U.S. Courts
Supreme Court

10. Section Outline State Court Systems Local Trial Courts
General Trial Courts
Special Courts
Intermediate Appellate Courts
Supreme Courts

11. Pre-Learning Question
Over which types of cases does the federal court system have jurisdiction?

12. The Federal Court System
Federal courts hear cases involving
federal matters
matters involving diversity of citizenship

13. The Federal Court System
Jurisdiction is the power and authority given to a court to hear a case and to make a judgment.

14. The Federal Court System
Federal courts have jurisdiction over:
actions in which the United States or one state is a party, except those actions between a state and its citizens
cases that raise a federal question, such as interpreting the Constitution

15. The Federal Court System
Federal courts have jurisdiction over:
diversity of citizenship cases, which involve citizens of different states and in which the amount of money in dispute exceeds $75,000
admiralty cases, or those pertaining to the sea

16. The Federal Court System
Federal courts have jurisdiction over:
patent and copyright cases
bankruptcy cases

17. The Federal Court System
Federal courts are arranged in three steps, or tiers:
U.S district courts
U.S. courts of appeals
the Supreme Court

18. District Courts
District courts have original jurisdiction over most federal court cases.
Original jurisdiction means trying a case the first time it is heard.

19. Courts of Appeals
The U.S. courts of appeals are also called appellate courts.
They are intermediate courts, courts between lower courts and the highest court.
They hear appeals and review cases from lower courts.

20. Courts of Appeals
They have appellate jurisdiction, meaning that any party to a suit decided in a federal district court may appeal to the federal court of appeals in the circuit where the case was tried.

21. Special U.S. Courts
Congress has established several special federal courts that have jurisdiction in cases, including:
suits brought by citizens against the federal government

22. Special U.S. Courts disagreements over taxes on imported goods
disputes between taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service

23. Supreme Court is the highest court in the land
has original jurisdiction in all cases involving ambassadors, consuls, other public ministers, and cases in which a state is a party

24. Supreme Court
must hear all cases that involve the constitutionality of the federal law
also decides which additional cases it will hear from the U.S. courts of appeals or the state supreme courts

25. What does jurisdiction mean?

26. ANSWER
The power and authority given to a court to hear a case and to make a judgment.

27. Pre-Learning Question
Do all states have the same court system?

28. State Court Systems
Each state has its own court system. However, the general pattern is the same in all states.
local trial courts
general trial courts

29. State Court Systems special courts intermediate appellate courts
supreme courts

30. Local Trial Courts Local courts are courts of limited jurisdiction.
Limited jurisdiction means they handle minor matters, such as misdemeanors and civil actions involving small amounts of money.

31. General Trial Courts
Each county in most states has at least one general trial court.
It has general jurisdiction.
All cases involving major crimes and large amounts of money must begin in one of these courts.

32. Special Courts
Courts have been established in many states to handle specialized cases.
Domestic relations courts handle divorce, annulment, and dissolution proceedings.
Juvenile courts have jurisdiction over delinquent, unruly, abused, or neglected children.

33. Juvenile Courts
A delinquent child is a minor who has committed an adult crime.
An unruly child is generally a minor who has done something inappropriate that is not considered an adult crime.

34. Juvenile Courts
A neglected or abused child is one who is homeless, destitute, or without adequate parental care.
He or she may become a ward of the state.

35. Supreme Courts
The highest court in most states is known as the supreme court.
Typically these courts decide matters of law appealed from lower courts.

36. Court Systems in the United States
2.1
Court Systems in the United States
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals
State Supreme Courts
U.S. District Courts
Appellate Courts
General Trial Courts
Lower Trial Courts

37. Reviewing What You Learned
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
What are the differences among original, appellate, limited and general jurisdiction?

38. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Original: district courts have authority to try a case the first time it is heard.

39. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Appellate: any party to a suit decided in a federal district court may appeal the decision to the federal court of appeals in the circuit where the case was tried.

40. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Limited: local courts have jurisdiction only in minor matters such as misdemeanors and civil actions involving small amounts of money.

41. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
General: general trial courts handle the major civil and criminal cases in each state.

42. Reviewing What You Learned How are the federal courts structured?
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
How are the federal courts structured?

43. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Three tiers:
Lowest—U.S. district courts located throughout U.S.
Middle—U.S. courts of appeals
Highest—Supreme Court

44. Reviewing What You Learned
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
What is the role of the United States Supreme Court?

45. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
The Supreme Court is the highest court with both original and appellate jurisdiction.

46. Reviewing What You Learned How are most state courts structured?
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
How are most state courts structured?

47. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Tiers of local trial courts, general trial courts, intermediate appellate courts, and supreme courts.

48. Reviewing What You Learned
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Explain the differences among unruly, delinquent, and abused or neglected juveniles.

49. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Unruly: minor who has committed an act that would not be a crime if an adult did it.

50. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Delinquent: minor who has committed an act that would be a crime if an adult did it.

51. Reviewing What You Learned Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Neglected/abused: homeless, destitute, or without adequate parental care

52. Critical Thinking Activity Juvenile Law
Section 2.1 Assessment
Critical Thinking Activity
Juvenile Law
Why is it important to be able to distinguish among unruly, delinquent, and abused or neglected juveniles?

53. Critical Thinking Activity Answer Juvenile Law
Section 2.1 Assessment
Critical Thinking Activity Answer
Juvenile Law
Answers could suggest that crimes committed by an unruly child are not as serious as those committed by delinquents and need a lesser punishment. Abused children may be treated with leniency.

54. Legal Skills in Action Structure of the Court System
Section 2.1 Assessment
Legal Skills in Action
Structure of the Court System
Your 30-year-old brother says he has no faith in the legal system, and for that reason, will never sue anyone.

55. Legal Skills in Action Structure of the Court System
Section 2.1 Assessment
Legal Skills in Action
Structure of the Court System
With a partner, role-play a response to your brother’s argument. Explain why understanding the structure of the federal court system might benefit him, even if he never intends to be a plaintiff in a lawsuit.

56. Legal Skills in Action Answer
Section 2.1 Assessment
Legal Skills in Action Answer
Structure of the Court System
Role-plays will vary but should demonstrate an understanding of the federal court system.

57. End of Section 2.1