Texas Court of Texas Court of AppealsAppeals

City & County CourtsCity & County Courts

District CourtDistrict Court

Texas Texas Supreme Supreme

CourtCourt

Texas Texas Court of Court of Criminal Criminal AppealsAppeals

U. S. Supreme CourtU. S. Supreme Court

U. S. Circuit CourtsU. S. Circuit Courts

U. S. District CourtsU. S. District Courts

United States Court StructureUnited States Court Structure

Left SideLeft Side Right SideRight Side

FEDERAL JUDGE FEDERAL JUDGE QUALIFICATIONSQUALIFICATIONS

APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENTAPPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT

CONFIRMED BY THE SENATECONFIRMED BY THE SENATE

NO FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS NO FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS

““shall hold office during good shall hold office during good behavior”behavior”

MAY BE IMPEACHEDMAY BE IMPEACHED

LIFE TIME APPOINTMENTLIFE TIME APPOINTMENT

Chief Justice John Roberts - Chief Justice John Roberts - 20052005

Appointment of Justice Alito - 2006Appointment of Justice Alito - 2006

Appointment of Justice Sotomayor Appointment of Justice Sotomayor 20092009

JURISDICTIONJURISDICTION: : power of the court to power of the court to hear casehear case

ORIGINALORIGINAL : hear the case first or : hear the case first or trial courttrial court

APPELLATEAPPELLATE : hear case after first : hear case after first timetime

PETIT JURIESPETIT JURIES: 6 instead of 12 : 6 instead of 12 jurorsjurors

BENCH TRIALBENCH TRIAL: judge only no jurors: judge only no jurors

U.S. District CourtsU.S. District CourtsCREATED IN 1789 BY AN ACT OF CONGRESSCREATED IN 1789 BY AN ACT OF CONGRESS

Not mentioned in the Constitution. Not mentioned in the Constitution. ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OR TRIAL COURT - ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OR TRIAL COURT - 99% OF CASES HEARD99% OF CASES HEARDAPPELLATE JURISDICTIONAPPELLATE JURISDICTIONFEDERAL TRIAL COURTSFEDERAL TRIAL COURTS

1 – 27 JUDGES PER COURT DEPENDING ON THE 1 – 27 JUDGES PER COURT DEPENDING ON THE DOCKET LOADDOCKET LOAD

95% OF THE CASES END HERE95% OF THE CASES END HEREUSE PETIT JURIESUSE PETIT JURIESLOCAL FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTSLOCAL FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS

SHERMAN, TYLER, AND PLANO FOR THE SHERMAN, TYLER, AND PLANO FOR THE BANKRUPTCY COURTBANKRUPTCY COURT

Circuit CourtsCircuit CourtsU.S. Courts of AppealU.S. Courts of Appeal

APPELLATE JURISDICTION ONLYAPPELLATE JURISDICTION ONLY12 CIRCUITS 12 CIRCUITS 6 – 28 JUDGES PER COURT6 – 28 JUDGES PER COURTCREATED BY CONGRESS IN 1891CREATED BY CONGRESS IN 1891NO GUILT OR INNOCENCE ONLY QUESTIONS NO GUILT OR INNOCENCE ONLY QUESTIONS

OF LAWOF LAWDECISION OPTIONS:DECISION OPTIONS:

REVERSE, UPHOLD, SEND BACK FOR A REVERSE, UPHOLD, SEND BACK FOR A NEW TRIALNEW TRIAL

55thth Circuit Court

Circuit Court

New Orleans

New Orleans

Oyez, Oyez, OyezOyez, Oyez, Oyez

U.S. Supreme CourtU.S. Supreme CourtOnly court mentioned by name in the Only court mentioned by name in the

Constitution.Constitution.

JURISDICTION:JURISDICTION:

ORIGINAL: SMALL % OF CASELOADORIGINAL: SMALL % OF CASELOAD

AMBASSADORS INVOLVEMENTAMBASSADORS INVOLVEMENT

PARTIES INCLUDE A STATEPARTIES INCLUDE A STATE

APPELLATE: APPELLATE: WRIT OF CERT REQUIREDWRIT OF CERT REQUIRED

99% OF CASELOAD99% OF CASELOAD

OVER OVER 7,0007,000 FILED PER YEAR AND FILED PER YEAR AND ONLY ONLY 7575 ACTUALLY HEARD BY THE COURT ACTUALLY HEARD BY THE COURT

9 JUSTICES9 JUSTICES

FINAL AUTHORITY ON THE CONSTITUTION!!!FINAL AUTHORITY ON THE CONSTITUTION!!!

THE ROBERTS COURTTHE ROBERTS COURT

CHIEF JUSTICECHIEF JUSTICEROBERTSROBERTS

JUSTICE JUSTICE SCALIASCALIAJUSTICE JUSTICE

STEVENSSTEVENS

JUSTICEJUSTICESOTOMAYORSOTOMAYOR

JUSTICEJUSTICEKENNEDYKENNEDY

JUSTICEJUSTICEBREYERBREYER

JUSTICEJUSTICETHOMASTHOMAS

JUSTICEJUSTICEGINSBERGGINSBERG

JUSTICEJUSTICEALITOALITO

Secret ConferenceSecret Conference““rule of four”rule of four”

Maintain National SupremacyMaintain National Supremacy

Resolve Interstate ConflictsResolve Interstate Conflicts

CITY & COUNTY COURTSCITY & COUNTY COURTSCIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASESCIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES

CITYCITY::

1. 1. MUNICIPALMUNICIPAL

2. TRAFFIC COURT2. TRAFFIC COURT

3. MISDEMEANOR CRIMES3. MISDEMEANOR CRIMES

COUNTYCOUNTY::

1. 1. JUSTICES OF THE PEACEJUSTICES OF THE PEACE

2. PROBATE COURTS (WILLS)2. PROBATE COURTS (WILLS)

3. JUVENILE COURT3. JUVENILE COURT

State Courts handle all matters not subject to federal jurisdiction. NOTE: All judges are elected in Texas,

except municipal judges.

TEXAS COURTSTEXAS COURTSDistrict CourtsDistrict Courts

ORIGINAL JURISDICTION INVOLVING A ORIGINAL JURISDICTION INVOLVING A TRIAL AND A JURYTRIAL AND A JURY

JURISDICTION:JURISDICTION:

1. CRIMINAL CASES1. CRIMINAL CASES

2. CIVIL CASES DEALING WITH MORE 2. CIVIL CASES DEALING WITH MORE THAN $200THAN $200

3. FAMILY AND JUVENILE COURT3. FAMILY AND JUVENILE COURT

TEXAS COURT OF TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS (14)APPEALS (14)

APPELLATE JURISDICTIONAPPELLATE JURISDICTION

NO JURY TRIAL OR NEW EVIDENCENO JURY TRIAL OR NEW EVIDENCE

ADDRESSES ANY LEGAL ADDRESSES ANY LEGAL PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT HAVE PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE JURY TRIALOCCURRED IN THE JURY TRIAL

TEXAS HIGH COURTSTEXAS HIGH COURTS

9 JUSTICES9 JUSTICES 6 YEAR TERM6 YEAR TERM

TEXAS SUPREME COURTTEXAS SUPREME COURT

CIVIL CASES ONLYCIVIL CASES ONLY

TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALSTEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS

CRIMINAL CASES CRIMINAL CASES

TEXAS SUPREME COURTTEXAS SUPREME COURT

JUSTICEJUSTICEWILLETTWILLETT

JUSTICEJUSTICEGREENGREEN JUSTICEJUSTICE

WAINWRIGHTWAINWRIGHT

JUSTICEJUSTICEHECHTHECHT

JUSTICEJUSTICEMEDINAMEDINA

JUSTICEJUSTICEJOHNSONJOHNSON

JUSTICEJUSTICEGUZMANGUZMAN

CHIEFCHIEFJUSTICEJUSTICE

JEFFERSONJEFFERSON JUSTICEJUSTICEO’NEILLO’NEILL

TEXAS HIGH COURTSTEXAS HIGH COURTS

9 JUSTICES9 JUSTICES 6 YEAR TERM6 YEAR TERM

TEXAS SUPREME COURTTEXAS SUPREME COURT

CIVIL CASES ONLYCIVIL CASES ONLY

TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALSTEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS

CRIMINAL CASES CRIMINAL CASES

TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALSAPPEALS

JUDGEJUDGEWOMACKWOMACK

JUDGEJUDGEHOLCOMBHOLCOMB

JUDGEJUDGEMEYERSMEYERS

JUDGEJUDGEKEASLERKEASLER JUDGEJUDGE

HERVEYHERVEY

JUDGEJUDGECOCHRANCOCHRAN

PRESIDING PRESIDING JUDGEJUDGEKELLERKELLER JUDGEJUDGE

PRICEPRICE

JUDGEJUDGEJOHNSONJOHNSON