The Federal Court System
Equal Justice for All
• Courts settle civil disputes between private
parties, a private party and the government,
or the United States and a state or local
government.
• In a civil case, a court settles a
disagreement between two parties to
recover damages or receive
compensation.
• Each side presents its position.
• The court applies the law and decides
in favor of one or the other.
Equal Justice for All (cont.)
• Courts also hold criminal trials for people
accused of crimes.
• In a criminal case, a court determines
whether a person accused of breaking
the law is guilty or not guilty of a
misdemeanor or a felony.
• Witnesses present evidence and a jury
or a judge delivers a verdict of guilt or
innocence.
Equal Justice for All (cont.)
• All accused people have the right to a
public trial and a lawyer.
• If they cannot afford a lawyer, the court
will appoint and pay for one.
• Accused people are considered innocent
until proven guilty.
• They may ask for a review of their case if
they think the court has made a mistake.
Equal Justice for All (cont.)
• The goal of the legal system is equal
justice under the law.
• This goal is difficult to achieve.
Equal Justice for All (cont.)
Why is the goal of equal justice under the
law difficult to achieve?
Judges and juries are not free from
personal prejudices or prejudices of their
communities. Poor people do not have the
money to spend on the best legal help.
The Federal Court System
• Article III established a national Supreme
Court and gave Congress the power to
establish lower federal courts.
• Over the years, Congress set up three
levels in the federal court system–district
courts at the bottom, appeals courts in
the middle, and the Supreme Court at
the top.
• Each state also has its own laws and
court system.
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals
U.S. District Courts
The Federal Court System (cont.)
• Jurisdiction is a court’s authority to hear
and decide cases.
• The Constitution gives federal courts
jurisdiction over eight kinds of cases.
• If the law in question applies to the U.S.
Constitution, a federal court hears the
case.
• Federal courts hear cases involving
violation of federal laws.
The Federal Court System (cont.)
• Any disagreement between state
governments winds up in federal court.
• Federal courts hear lawsuits between
citizens of different states.
• If the U.S. government sues someone or
someone sues the U.S. government, a
federal court hears the case.
• Federal courts hear disputes between a
foreign government and either the U.S.
government or an American private party.
The Federal Court System (cont.)
• Admiralty and maritime laws concern
accidents or crimes on the high seas.
• Federal courts hear cases involving U.S.
diplomats.
• For most of these eight areas, federal
courts have exclusive jurisdiction–only
they may hear and decide such cases.
The Federal Court System (cont.)
• In a few circumstances, the state and
federal courts have concurrent
jurisdiction–they share jurisdiction
and either may hear the case.
The Federal Court System (cont.)
In what eight areas do federal courts
generally have exclusive jurisdiction?
Federal courts generally have exclusive
jurisdiction in cases involving (1) the
Constitution, (2) violations of federal laws,
(3) controversies between states, (4)
disputes between parties from different
states, (5) suits by or against the federal
government, (6) foreign governments and
treaties, (7) admiralty and maritime laws,
and (8) U.S. diplomats. (pages 193–195)
Checking for Understanding
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
B 1. cases in which only federal courts
__ A. jurisdiction
have jurisdiction B. exclusive
A 2. a court’s authority to hear and
__ jurisdiction
decide cases C. concurrent
C 3. cases in which state and federal
__ jurisdiction
courts share jurisdiction
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
List Name the three levels of federal
courts.
The three levels of federal courts are the
district courts, appeals courts, and the
Supreme Court.
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Explain Define what is meant by the
words that are inscribed on the United
States Supreme Court building: “Equal
Justice Under Law.”
It is the goal of the legal system to treat
everyone the same.
Critical Thinking
Making Inferences Why do you think
Congress established federal appeals
courts in 1891?
They were established to handle the
volume of cases.
Which judicial circuit is Virginia in?
Close
The Phrase Equal Justice Under Law is
carved on the Supreme Court Building in
Washington, D.C. Do you think that our
federal judicial system accomplishes this
goal?
Your Turn
1. Why do we need courts?
2. What is the goal of the U.S. court
system?
3. What is jurisdiction?
4. If a case involves the Constitution, which
court hears the case?
