N O T E B O O K H A N D O U T

The U.S. Court System

For each card, find the corresponding number on one of the three court diagrams.
Label or annotate the diagram as directed on the card.

Federal Court System

1
Policy maker of the
judicial review

Special Courts

4 Court of international
2
trade
Have authority over
5 Court of federal claims decisions of low
court by checking
errors of the law
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

6 Tax court

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court

and Court of Review
3
7 Military appeal courts Handles the
initial stage of
cases in the
Alien Terrorist Removal Court federal system
and criminal
cases.
Military courts

Military tribunals

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State Court System

8 Judge Selection Methods

• - Retention elections
- Judicial election
• - Judicial appointment

9
Supreme court

10
Intermediate Courts of Appeal Handling of serious criminal cases
and extreme civilian disputes

11
Handles minor criminal and
civil cases

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Supreme Court

Federal Judge Selection Process

12 13
Senatorial courtesy -Senators can
block nominations of the federal president
Judges are nominated by _______________________________
courts in their respective states
senate
and confirmed by _____________________________________.

Stages of a Supreme Court Case

14 A writ of certiorari – document from the supreme court to lower court ordering
for a complete record of a case

Legal and amicus curiae briefs are filed.

Oral arguments are presented to the Court.

Justices meet in private conferences and decide to uphold or to overrule a previous decision.

15 Opinions are written.

• Majority opinions
• Dissenting opinions
•
Concurring opinions.

Schools of Thought About Judicial Review

16 Judicial activism - obligation to Judicial restraints - judicial reviews to

overturn bad precedents, promote be used sparingly and elected officials
socially desirable goals to make policy decisions.

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