THE FEDERAL AND STATE COURT SYSTEMS
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM: US Supreme Court - Correct Answers -highest court of
the land:
-original and appellate jurisdiction
-hears appeals from federal and state courts
-has original jurisdiction in cases involving a state as a party, actions between two
states, cases involving US ambassadors, ministers, and consuls
-original jurisdiction over most federal court cases
-*appellate jurisdiction is the court's main function: must hear all cases involving the
constitutionality of federal law*
-court decides by a vote of 4 out of 9 justices which additional cases it will hear from
courts of appeals or state supreme courts
FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM: US Courts of Appeal/Intermediate Court - Correct
Answers --hears cases on appeal from district courts and certain other federal courts
-*has appellate jurisdiction*
FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM: US District Courts - Correct Answers --original jurisdiction
over most federal court cases
-most federal court cases begin in a district court
-hears criminal and civil cases, with or without a jury
STATE COURT SYSTEM: Appellate Courts - Correct Answers --found in about 2/3 of
the states
*-hear cases on appeal from general trial courts and lower trial courts (appellate
jurisdiction)*
-generally don't hear cases for the 1st time but hear cases where a party believes it
didn't receive a fair trial, or that a judge in a court with original jurisdiction didn't interpret
the law properly
-hear cases on on questions of law
-Cases are tried with NO WITNESSES, and only the oral arguments of attorneys
-judges study legal documents and records in the case
STATE COURT SYSTEM: General Trial Courts - Correct Answers --also called "county
court," "superior court," "court of common pleas," or "circuit court"
-because of a wide range of cases, it has *general jurisdiction,* which means that this
court can hear almost any kind of case
-*cases involving major crimes or civil cases dealing with large sums of money*
-may hear cases on appeal from lower courts, although most appeals are heard in a
higher court
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM: US Supreme Court - Correct Answers -highest court of
the land:
-original and appellate jurisdiction
-hears appeals from federal and state courts
-has original jurisdiction in cases involving a state as a party, actions between two
states, cases involving US ambassadors, ministers, and consuls
-original jurisdiction over most federal court cases
-*appellate jurisdiction is the court's main function: must hear all cases involving the
constitutionality of federal law*
-court decides by a vote of 4 out of 9 justices which additional cases it will hear from
courts of appeals or state supreme courts
FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM: US Courts of Appeal/Intermediate Court - Correct
Answers --hears cases on appeal from district courts and certain other federal courts
-*has appellate jurisdiction*
FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM: US District Courts - Correct Answers --original jurisdiction
over most federal court cases
-most federal court cases begin in a district court
-hears criminal and civil cases, with or without a jury
STATE COURT SYSTEM: Appellate Courts - Correct Answers --found in about 2/3 of
the states
*-hear cases on appeal from general trial courts and lower trial courts (appellate
jurisdiction)*
-generally don't hear cases for the 1st time but hear cases where a party believes it
didn't receive a fair trial, or that a judge in a court with original jurisdiction didn't interpret
the law properly
-hear cases on on questions of law
-Cases are tried with NO WITNESSES, and only the oral arguments of attorneys
-judges study legal documents and records in the case
STATE COURT SYSTEM: General Trial Courts - Correct Answers --also called "county
court," "superior court," "court of common pleas," or "circuit court"
-because of a wide range of cases, it has *general jurisdiction,* which means that this
court can hear almost any kind of case
-*cases involving major crimes or civil cases dealing with large sums of money*
-may hear cases on appeal from lower courts, although most appeals are heard in a
higher court
