Judicial BranchCitizenship: American Government

About the Unit• In the American Government Unit we will be exploring the

following questions:

• What is federalism and how is a part of the United States Government?

• What is the Executive Branch of the United States Government and what is its role?

• What is the Legislative Branch of the United States Government and what is its role?

• What is the Judicial Branch of the United States Government and what is its role?

• What is a political parties and what system of political parties is a part of the United States Government?

• What is the electoral process of the United States Government and how are the States involved in this process?

Judicial Branch • Judicial Branch - The part of the government that settles legal

disputes related to...

• interpretation of the constitution

• the federal (national) government

• conflicts between the states and federal govt.

• The Judicial Branch is made up of a system of courts that includes...

• the Supreme Court (highest court)

• 95 Federal District Courts

• 13 Courts of Appeal

• 2 Courts of Special Jurisdiction

United States Federal Court System

Judicial Branch in Practice...

• The vast majority of court cases are handled in local, state, or lower-level federal courts each depending on the subject matter or jurisdiction of the case.

• Each year around 10,000 cases are petitioned to be heard by the United States Supreme Court; however, the court only hears 75-80 cases per year.

• The Supreme Court usually only hears cases that are incredibly important as determined by things such as...

• a conflict of law, or where lower courts reach different conclusions about the same law

• cases that involve an important social issue that affects many citizens

• cases where lower courts have ignored or disregarded past Supreme Court Decisions

Supreme Court of the United States