Name: ______________________

Date: __________ Block:________

THE COURT and LANDMARK CASES NOTES

Warm-Up
1. Who should determine what Laws or rules are “fair” in our country?

2. Should it be one person or a group of people? Why?

3. What are some unfair laws in our country you can think of, now or in the past?

What is the Supreme Court?

- A federal ________________________________________________.
- The Supreme Court is made up of a ________________ and eight ___
associate justices.
- ___ total Supreme Court justices in total.

Why do you think 9 is the number they chose? ________________________________

How does a Supreme Court

Vacancy or Opening Occurs Justice get appointed? Senate Judicial Committee

President Nominates Someone

 Name: ______________________
Date: __________ Block:________

Two types of cases that can go to the Supreme Court

- State and local courts are ________________________________________________
_________________________.
- (____ Courts in California - 1 court for each ___________)
- State and local courts have trials that deal with cases concerning laws passed
by the state legislature or local authorities, most family law cases, personal injury
suits, contract disputes, traffic violations, and criminal cases.

- Federal courts ________________________________________________

_______________________________________. (4 Federal Court Districts in California)

Only U.S. constitutional questions may be appealed to Cases may be appealed to the next level
next level

Cases may be appealed to the next level

Cases may be appealed to the next level

Cases may be appealed to the next level

- Federal courts handle cases involving the U.S. _______________, violations of

federal laws, controversies between states for example.

How does a case make it to the Supreme Court?

 Name: ______________________
Date: __________ Block:________

WRIT OF CERTIORARI
- If the Supreme Court approves a case for them to
review,_________________________ ______________________________.
- Writ of Certiorari an order of a higher court to a lower court to _____________________
_____________________________________________________.
- The documents include the __________ filing of a complaint, all the way through the
final judgment issued by the ________________.

What is an appeal?
- An appeal is when you have another, higher court,________________________
________________________________________________________________.
- The court will question if the U.S. ______________ is being violated with a given
court decision.

How does the Supreme Court Impact our country?

- What the court decides on a case, ________________________. (Federal Law
across the country)
- _________________ analyzes whether rights given to us in the Constitution are
protected.

When the Supreme Court decides a case…

- The decision made is called a PRECEDENT. This is when a decision made by a
court ___________ how this case should be ________________________.
- For example: if someone is punished 25 years for homicide, future cases will
 Name: ______________________
Date: __________ Block:________

carry similar punishments based on the PRECEDENT set in that previous case.

When a Supreme Court Decision decision is made…

- Results can be divided by the judges and majority opinion wins the case. Results can
range from _____________________________________.

- When the judges vote they release three possible statements:

- MAJORITY OPINION : ___________________________________________________

- CONCURRING OPINION : ________________________________________________

_____________________________

- DISSENTING OPINION :__________________________________________________

Who is on the Supreme Court now?

 Name: ______________________
Date: __________ Block:________

Exit Slip - Review

1. Explain the process of how a Supreme Court Judge is appointed and how
the Senate plays a role.

2. Describe the steps a court case will take to get to the Supreme Court.

3. What is a Writ of Certiorari?

 Name: ______________________
Date: __________ Block:________

4. What power does the Supreme Court have regarding our laws?

5. Describe the 3 types of opinions Supreme Court Judges give, and how they
are different.

LANDMARK COURT CASES MINI PROJECT

You will be working in small groups on one of the following 5
Supreme Court cases and researching the facts of the case and
the impact of them on American society.

TLO vs NEW JERSEY MAPP vs OHIO

TINKER vs DES MOINES ROE vs WADE

LOVING vs VIRGINIA
 Name: ______________________
Date: __________ Block:________

Your group will be responsible for CREATING a google slide presentation

on one of these cases that will show your RESEARCHING and
PRESENTATION skills.

Here’s how you will be graded and earn points:

Slide 1: Title Slide with all members names and name of S.C. case.……...(2 pts)

Slide 2: The story of the case, How did it end up at the supreme court? What
happened during this case? What is the story of the case?......................... (6 pts)

Slide 3: Constitutional question being asked and the Supreme Court Decision?
5-4, 8-1 etc………………………………………….…………………………...(6 pts)

Slide 4: What were the Dissenting and Majority opinions of the case?........(6 pts)

Slide 5: What Precedent was set during this case?.....................................(2 pts)

Slide 6: How does the group think this decision impacted the American people to
this day?........................................................................................................(2 pts)