| The supreme court hears cases about federal crime, civil suits between citizens in different states, Bankruptcy cases, Maritime law (crimes at sea), Naturalization (trying to become citizen). Each district has a U.S. attorney, nominated by the president to represent the U.S. government. |
| There are 91 total district courts with 978 total judges. There is at least one district court in every state. District courts have original jurisdiction which is jurisdiction of courts that hears a case first. They are the only federal courts that hold trials. These courts hear about 350,000 cases per year. |
| The appeals court is divided into 12 judicial circuits. The court usually has a panel of 3 judges to hear each case. There are 178 in all. The court of Appeals is not looking for guilt or innocence but to correct errors made at the district court levels. |
| The supreme court consists of nine justices, with one chief and eight associate justices. The Supreme court hears cases to resolve conflicts among states, interpreting national laws, and maintain national supremacy in law. |
| Marbury vs. Madison (1803)- Formed the basis for judicial review and it was the first time a court invalidated a law by declaring it unconstitutional Dred Scott vs. Sandford (1857)- The ruling said that people of African descent brought into the United States and held as slaves are not protected by the Constitution and could never be United States Citizens. Plessy vs. Ferguson (1896)- "Separate but equal" was upheld by the constitutionality of state laws requiring segregation in private business Brown vs. Board of Education (1954)- Declared that state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students was unconstitutional Gideon vs. Wainwright (1963)- Unanimously ruled that state courts are required under the 6th amendment of the constitution to provide counsel in criminal cases for attendants who are unable to afford there own attorneys. Miranda vs. Arizona (1966)- A formal warning that is required to be given by police in the U.S. to criminal suspects in police custody before they are allowed to be interrogated. Tinker vs. Des Moines (1969)- Set up rights for students when the supreme court said that students have rights even when they are in school. Students now have rights but only to a certain point. Roe vs. Wade (1973)- Abortion was made legal again in the U.S. when an unmarried pregnant lady from Texas wanted her freedom to abort her child. U.S. vs. Nixon (1974)- Supreme court said that they had to turn over the tapes from the oval office because they had information about the watergate scandal on them, soon after they said he had to turn over the tapes Nixon resigned. Citizens United vs. F.E.C. (2010)- This allows corporations to be treated by people so they can give as much money as they want to politicians and they get the freedom of speech during campaigns. |
