Bul 4421 - Chapter 3 The U.S. Legal
System Comprehensive Questions
(Frequently Tested) with Verified
Answers Graded A+
Jurisdiction - Answer: The word comes from Latin terms juris, meaning "law," and diction,
meaning "to speak."
A useful way to understand jurisdiction is to think of it as referring to courts' power to hear
cases and render decisions that bind the parties before them.
A court must have several types of jurisdiction to decide any particular case.
Trial courts, or Courts of Original Jurisdiction - Answer: Have the power to hear and decide cases
when they first enter the legal system.
The parties present evidence and call witnesses to testify.
Most state court systems refer to trial courts as courts of common pleases or county courts.
The federal system calls them district courts.
Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction or Appellate Courts - Answer: Have the power to review
previous judicial decisions to determine whether the trial courts erred in their decisions.
They do not hold trials. Judges review transcripts of trial court proceedings and occasionally
consider additional oral and writing arguments from each party.
, They handle primarily questions of law, not questions of fact.
A question of law is an issue concerning the interpretation or application of a law. Only judges
can decide questions of law.
A question of fact is a question about an event or characteristic in a case. Question of fact are
determined in the trial court.
Legal Principle - Answer: The court in which a case is first heard is called the court of original
jurisdiction, and the court to which a decision made by that court is appealed is called the court
of appellate jurisdiction.
In Personam Jurisdiction - Answer: (literally, "jurisdiction over the person) is a court's power to
render a decision affecting the rights of the specific persons before the court.
Plaintiff - Answer: A court acquires in personam jurisdiction when she files a lawsuit with the
court.
Defendant - Answer: The court acquires jurisdiction over the person the plaintiff is suing (the
defendant) when it gives him a copy of the complaint and a summons.
Complaint - Answer: Specifies the factual and legal basis for the lawsuit and the relief the
plaintiff seeks.
Summons - Answer: Is a court order that notifies the defendant of the lawsuit and explains how
and when to respond to the complaint.
System Comprehensive Questions
(Frequently Tested) with Verified
Answers Graded A+
Jurisdiction - Answer: The word comes from Latin terms juris, meaning "law," and diction,
meaning "to speak."
A useful way to understand jurisdiction is to think of it as referring to courts' power to hear
cases and render decisions that bind the parties before them.
A court must have several types of jurisdiction to decide any particular case.
Trial courts, or Courts of Original Jurisdiction - Answer: Have the power to hear and decide cases
when they first enter the legal system.
The parties present evidence and call witnesses to testify.
Most state court systems refer to trial courts as courts of common pleases or county courts.
The federal system calls them district courts.
Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction or Appellate Courts - Answer: Have the power to review
previous judicial decisions to determine whether the trial courts erred in their decisions.
They do not hold trials. Judges review transcripts of trial court proceedings and occasionally
consider additional oral and writing arguments from each party.
, They handle primarily questions of law, not questions of fact.
A question of law is an issue concerning the interpretation or application of a law. Only judges
can decide questions of law.
A question of fact is a question about an event or characteristic in a case. Question of fact are
determined in the trial court.
Legal Principle - Answer: The court in which a case is first heard is called the court of original
jurisdiction, and the court to which a decision made by that court is appealed is called the court
of appellate jurisdiction.
In Personam Jurisdiction - Answer: (literally, "jurisdiction over the person) is a court's power to
render a decision affecting the rights of the specific persons before the court.
Plaintiff - Answer: A court acquires in personam jurisdiction when she files a lawsuit with the
court.
Defendant - Answer: The court acquires jurisdiction over the person the plaintiff is suing (the
defendant) when it gives him a copy of the complaint and a summons.
Complaint - Answer: Specifies the factual and legal basis for the lawsuit and the relief the
plaintiff seeks.
Summons - Answer: Is a court order that notifies the defendant of the lawsuit and explains how
and when to respond to the complaint.
