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Federal Court System Overview

  • The Federal Court System is structured in a hierarchy:
      - Supreme Court at the top
      - Courts of Appeals (12) in the middle
      - District Courts (Bottom)
      - Additional courts include independent regulatory commissions, legislative courts, and military appeals courts.

Constitutional Foundation

  • US Constitution:
      - Establishes the Supreme Court and allows Congress to create inferior courts.
      - Includes various specialized courts, such as legislative courts and courts within the military, established based on congressional needs.
  • Central theme: Judicial Review:
      - Definition: The power of the judiciary to review laws and government actions to determine their constitutionality.
      - Allows the judicial branch to check the powers of the executive and legislative branches, as well as state and local governments.
      - Upholds constitutional rights and government oversight.

Types of Courts in the Federal System

  • Constitutional Courts:
      - Defined as federal courts created by Congress to exercise the judicial power of the U.S.
      - Major courts: Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals, District Courts, US Court of International Trade.
  • Special Courts:
      - Designed for specific issues and do not exercise broad judicial powers.
  • Original vs Appellate Jurisdiction:
      - Original Jurisdiction: Courts where cases originate (mainly District Courts).
      - Appellate Jurisdiction: Courts that hear appeals from lower courts (mainly Courts of Appeals and Supreme Court).
      - Substantive differences: Original jurisdiction focuses on hearing a case first; appellate jurisdiction focuses on reviewing decisions of lower courts.

Key Supreme Court Case: Marbury v. Madison (1803)

  • Importance: Established Judicial Review.
  • Granting of power to the Supreme Court to nullify acts of Congress or the Executive that violate the Constitution.
  • Extended the principle of judicial review to state and local actions.

Federalist Papers Reference

  • Federalist No. 78: Advocated for the establishment of a judicial branch to ensure equality with the legislative and executive branches.
  • The principle of judicial review was not codified until Marbury v. Madison.

Implications of Court Composition

  • Changes in Supreme Court composition affect legal precedents.
      - Example: Trump’s appointment of three justices led to decisions like Dobbs v. Jackson overturning Roe v. Wade (1973).

Federal Jurisdiction Types

  • Concurrent Jurisdiction: Cases that can be heard in both federal and state courts.
  • Authority Defined: Jurisdiction denotes a court’s power to hear a case, shaped by constitutional provisions, federal statutes, or treaties.
  • Parties Involved:
      - U.S. government and officials
      - Foreign governments and officials
      - States and citizens

Checks on Judicial Power

  • Legitimacy Challenges: Court decisions can lead to contentious political responses.
  • Measurement Options for Congress and the President:
      - Future appointments
      - Legislation adjusting court jurisdiction
      - Delayed implementation of decisions (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education, 1954).
  • Historical Example: Andrew Jackson's disregarding of the Supreme Court’s decision on Native American relocation despite a ruling in favor of the tribes.

Judicial Selection Process

  • Judges are appointed, not elected.
  • Senatorial Courtesy: Norm where presidents consult with senators before nominating lower court judges, though this does not apply to Supreme Court nominations.
  • Judicial Nomination: The president nominates; the Senate Judiciary Committee reviews and votes; full Senate confirms.

Structure and Function of the District Courts

  • Over 90 district courts across the U.S.
  • Most federal cases are initiated here.
  • Original jurisdiction predominates.
  • Typically overseen by a single judge, with multiple judges depending on the caseload.

Court of Appeals

  • Focus on correcting errors in law and procedure from district court decisions.
  • No trial or testimony, decisions based solely on written records.
  • Acts as a gatekeeper for the Supreme Court, determining cases worthy of review.

Supreme Court Operations

  • Highest court with final say on legal matters.
  • Most cases come via appeals; few cases originate directly in the Supreme Court.
  • Travel Order Case: Example of challenges to presidential actions regarding constitutionality of executive orders.
  • Rule of Four: Four justices must agree to grant a petition for a case to be heard.
  • Writ of Certiorari: Order for lower courts to submit records for review.
  • Limited number of cases (less than 100) are heard each year from approximately 8,000 appeals.

Opinions in the Supreme Court

  • Majority Opinion: The court's official decision and reasoning.
  • Concurring Opinion: Agreement with the majority for different reasons.
  • Dissenting Opinion: Disagreement with the majority decision.

Judicial Philosophies

  • Judicial Restraint: Judges limit their power, deferring law creation to the legislative branch except in clear unconstitutional cases.
  • Judicial Activism: Courts make rulings believed to redress social wrongs, which may diverge from strict law interpretation.

Important Legal Terms

  • Amicus Curiae: “Friend of the court” briefs providing additional information from non-parties to an appeal case.
  • Stare Decisis: The legal principle of letting the previous decision stand, often denying modifications at appeal.
  • Writ of Certiorari: Supreme Court’s order to review lower court's case documentation.

Conclusion

  • Review and reflect upon all key points presented in this lecture.
  • Encourage repeated viewing for clarity and deeper understanding of the federal court system's structure, powers, and implications.