STATE & FEDERAL COURTS MODULE

Federal Court Structure

U.S. District Courts → U.S. Courts of Appeals → U.S. Supreme Court.

State Court Structure

Trial Courts → Intermediate Appellate Courts → State Supreme Court.

Pensacola Federal Court

Northern District of Florida (U.S. District Court) → 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Pensacola State Court

Florida trial courts → Florida District Courts of Appeal → Florida Supreme Court.

Questions of Fact

Decided by juries (sometimes judges in bench trials).

Questions of Law

Decided by judges.

Subject Matter Jurisdiction

Court’s authority to hear a specific type of case.

Federal Question Jurisdiction

Case involves the U.S. Constitution, federal law, or treaties.

Diversity Jurisdiction

Parties from different states + amount in controversy over $75,000.

Removal

Defendant moves case from state court to federal court if federal jurisdiction exists.

Cases Only in Federal Court

Bankruptcy, federal crimes, patent & copyright cases.

How a Case Gets to the U.S. Supreme Court

Petition for writ of certiorari. Court chooses which cases to hear (Rule of Four).

Types of Cases Supreme Court Selects

Constitutional issues, circuit splits, major federal questions.