3.Appellate Courts
e.
13 U.S courts of appeal
e.
11 have jurisdiction to hear appeals from the district courts located in the
states w/in their respective boundaries
e.
Can take judgments from this court to U.S Supreme Court
· Trial (large #) then intermediate then supreme
· Trial court is what we all know of as a court, first stop for cases, called district
courses in the federal system
· Appeal to Intermediate does not start over! Just say something was wrong with the
trial court, a panel of judges reviews the case for errors, circuit courts
· Supreme chooses what court they want if they appeal from intermediate, party must
ask Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari to proceed, usually the answer is no,·
Federal courts hear:
Cases about federal laws, plaintiffs base their claims on federal law
Diversity of citizenship case, Cases between people from different states worth
$75,000 at least
Federal Courts have subject matter jurisdiction over any civil case in which the
plaintiff's claim arises from the U.S Constitution, federal statute or a federal
treaty.
Jurisdiction:
a court’s power or authority over a case, 2 types
1. Subject matter jurisdiction
: a court’s power to hear a particular type or category of
case
Can’t file breach of contract in a tax court
2. Personal jurisdiction
: a court’s power or authority over the parties involved in the
lawsuit, focus is on the defendant
They have this authority if the defendant takes a formal step to defend a lawsuit
or if they are summoned papers - Appearance
