Presentation Transcript

1. CH. 16 Supreme Court

2. Court Arrangement
3. How’s that work Original Jurisdiction: Courts that hear a case first. Determine the facts of a case. (What happened) Appellate Courts: Hear appeals from lower courts. Concerned with legal issues. District Courts: The entry point for most federal court cases Only federal court with jury Pg. 471 for nature of cases
4. Court of Appeals Courts of Appeal: Last step before Supreme Court Can hear final decisions of district court cases Can enforce regulatory agencies decrees These cases hear no trials, just correct or uphold legal decisions of lower courts Divided into 12 judicial circuits. Each serves at least 2 states.
5. The Supreme Court Role: Interprets national laws, resolves conflicts among states, and maintains national supremacy of law. If they say it, it happens. Done. The Supreme Courts decide what cases they will hear. Almost all cases come from federal and state appellate courts If someone loses in a State court case, they can only appeal to the Supreme Court
6. How Do They Get There? Lower-Court Fed. Judges chosen by President. Senatorial Courtesy: state-level federal judicial posts are not approved by Senate if a Senator from that State of the President’s party opposes. White House, DoJ, and FBI conduct investigations on potential judges. Competency and background checks President more concerned with Court of Appeals Political polarization has caused more blocking of judge candidates.
7. Supreme Court Noms. Presidents are interested in Supreme Court Justices to use as satisfying political agenda. Senate has a role in selection with the Judiciary Committee Probe judicial ideology and history. Presidents run into two problems with selection Minority party in the Senate Views distant from the Senate’s own
8. What Makes a Justice? No special requirements to be a Justice. Ethics, and competence Typically have been Judges or Prosecutors Involved in partisan politics All Justices have been lawyers All but 6 have been White Males Typically from the upper classes of society
9. Reading Pgs. 482(Courts as Policymakers) – 486 and report back as a class. Find the steps selecting a case and making a decision. 10-15 minutes to do this.