Articles III-VII

Objectives

• Learn the purpose and workings of Articles III-VII of the Constitution

Article III: Judicial BranchArticle III establishes a Supreme court and the congress will

create the other federal courts which all together we refer to as the “Judicial Branch”.

Judiciary Act 1789Set the template for what would evolve into today’s federal court system. It originally had a supreme court with a chief justice and 5 associate justices. There were also 11 districts,

with courts and a court of appeals for each district.

Today’s CourtsToday there is one Supreme Court, 12 United States Circuit Court of Appeals, and 94 United States Districts with courts.

United States’ Supreme CourtThe United States’ Supreme Court meets in Washington D.C. It

consists of one chief Justice, John G. Roberts Jr., eight associate justices. The current make-up of the court has five 6 males, three females, The oldest is 80 and the youngest is 53.

U.S. Circuit Courts of AppealsCurrently there are 11 Courts of Appeals across the country. They consist of three person panels and listen to cases from lower courts

to determine if the procedures and laws were properly followed.

United States District CourtsCurrently there are 94 districts. The court nearest Aberdeen is in Tacoma WA. Cases hear involved crimes against the laws of the United States and civil disputes where federal laws are at issue.

Article IV: Full Faith and CreditKnown as the “Full Faith and Credit” clause of the Constitution. It requires that states give citizens of other states the same rights and privileges. It also allows for new states and what protections the

national government will provide.

Article V

Article V spells out how the Constitution can be amended or changed. (More detail to come when amendments are studied.)

Article VI: Supreme Law of LandArticle VI establishes that the Constitution (federal law) is

the “Supreme Law of the Land”. When a state law

conflicts, federal law trumps.

What two states now have laws that conflict with this principle?

Article VII: RatificationArticle VII spells out how the Constitution and any amendments

can be ratified. Three fourths of the states must ratify.

Why is there no set number?