The Federal Court System
Unit Six Lesson One Assignment
The U.S. District Federal Court System
- Federal courts are where trials are held and lawsuits begin
- All states have at least one District court, but some can have two or three based on population
- District courts have original jurisdiction- first to hear the case
The U.S. Court of Appeals
- Middle step of three step judicial process
- People who lose in a district court often appeal to this level
- Appeals courts- review decisions made in lower district courts
- Appellate jurisdiction- authority to hear a case appealed from a lower court
- Each of the 12 appeals courts cover a particular geographic area- circuits
What the U.S. Court of Appeals Do
- Do not decide guilt or innocence or which side should win a suit
- Rules only on whether the original trial was fair and protected the person's rights
- Most court decisions are final. Some are remanded and others are sent to the Supreme court.
- One appellate judge may write an opinion- explains thinking behind the court's decision in the case
- This opinion sets as a precedent- model for other judges to follow in making their own decisions in the case
The Supreme Court
- Highest ranking part of the judicial system
- The judges chosen to be in the supreme court are chosen by the president and by congress (9 in all)
- Judges serve for life, this is also called a life term, and because they do so they can only be fired through impeachment
- These judges can be used as the president's influence once he/she leaves office
Magistrate Judges
- Decide whether accused people should be held in jail or released on bail
- Each district court has magistrate judges who do much of the judge's routine work
- They hear preliminary evidence and determine whether the case should go to trial
U.S. Attorneys
- A U.S. attorney is a gov't lawyer who prosecutes people accused of not abiding federal laws
- Their job is to look at the accused' s charges and present the accused's evidence in court
- They also represent the U.S. in civil cases involving the gov't
U.S. Marshalls
- Every federal judicial district has one
- They make arrests, collect fines, and take convicted people to prison\
- U.S. Marshalls also protect jurors, keep order in the court, and serve subpoenas that order people to show up in court
Qualifications
- U.S. citizen
- b/t 21-36 yrs. old
- Bachelors degree
- 3 yrs. of qualifying experience
- Also can have a combo of education/ work exp.
- Must successfully complete a background investigation
- Valid drivers license
- Be in excellent physical condition
- Undergo a 17 and 1/2 week basic training program