Ch. 10.1Ch. 10.1

The Role of the The Role of the Federal CourtsFederal Courts

Laws and CourtsLaws and CourtsLegal conflicts are Legal conflicts are resolved by courts of resolved by courts of lawlaw

Apply the law to an Apply the law to an actual situationactual situation

Two Kinds of legal conflictTwo Kinds of legal conflict

1.1. CriminalCriminal

- innocent or guilty- innocent or guilty

-punishment-punishment

2. Civil 2. Civil

-disagreements-disagreements

-contracts, divorce, -contracts, divorce, etc…etc…

Parties in a conflictParties in a conflictCivil case- brought in by Civil case- brought in by the plaintiff- complaintthe plaintiff- complaint

Defendant- answers a Defendant- answers a complaintcomplaint

Criminal case is brought Criminal case is brought to court by the to court by the prosecutionprosecution

Government body bring Government body bring a criminal charge a criminal charge against a defendant against a defendant

Judge- apply the law to Judge- apply the law to the conflictthe conflict

Remain neutralRemain neutralJury- decides facts of the Jury- decides facts of the casecase

Interpreting the lawInterpreting the lawWhat the law meansWhat the law meansAllowed by the Allowed by the constitution???constitution???

Precedent- guideline for Precedent- guideline for how all similar cases how all similar cases should be decided in the should be decided in the futurefuture

Meaning of the law Meaning of the law clearerclearer

How the law should How the law should be appliedbe applied

State Courts and Federal State Courts and Federal CourtsCourts

Most legal cases begin Most legal cases begin in a lower courtin a lower court

Each state has courts at Each state has courts at different levels of govt. different levels of govt. and courts for different and courts for different purposespurposes

Municipal courts Municipal courts operate on the city operate on the city levellevel

Juvenile courtsJuvenile courtsTraffic courtsTraffic courtsJurisdictionJurisdictionOriginal- hear the case Original- hear the case firstfirst

Also called trial courtsAlso called trial courtsappeal appeal Appellate jurisdiction- Appellate jurisdiction- authority to hear an authority to hear an appealappeal

Reviews legal issuesReviews legal issuesCan reverse decisionCan reverse decision

Can order a new trialCan order a new trial

Federal courtsFederal courtsFederal lawsFederal lawsAppealed from state Appealed from state supreme courtssupreme courts