Judicial branch

Federal court tier:

• Supreme Court —> US Courts of Appeals (12 of them) —> US District Courts (94 of them) —> Military courts —> State courts

Supreme Court:

• Majority Opinion:

  • Officially called Opinion of the Court

  • The court’s decision and the reasoning on which the decision is based

• Precedents:

  • Judges make decisions based on what has happened in similar court cases in the past

• Concurring opinion:

  • An opin