Cases are heard by different courts based on the specifics of each case.

According to

United States Courts (n.d.), state courts handle criminal cases, probate, contract cases, tort

cases, and family law matters while the federal court system handles cases that deal with the

constitutionality of a law, cases involving laws and treaties of the U.S., cases involving

ambassadors and public ministers, disputes between two or more states, admiralty law,

bankruptcy, and habeas corpus issues.

Federal and State cases are held in different courts depending upon the specifics of the

case. If parties are not satisfied with court decisions the case can be taken through the appeals

process and, if warranted, to the Supreme Court for a final decision. Only certain cases will

be heard by the Supreme Court such as those state matters that are viewed as constitutional

matters.

A legal matter is considered final after a court has made a ruling. If both parties agree

to the ruling then the case is settled if not the case can be taken through the appeals process to

possibly have a different ruling decided upon. In an appeals process, a court ruling is

considered final when parties agree on the appeals ruling or if the appeals process if

exhausted, in which case the original ruling stands. After the appeals process, a case my be

heard by the Supreme Court for a final and definitive ruling. The Supreme Court, however,

does not accept all cases, which also finalizes the original court ruling.

United States Courts. (n.d). Comparing Federal & State Courts. Retrieved from

https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/court-role-and-structure/comparing-federal-state-

courts
United States Courts. (n.d.). Court roles and structure. Retrieved from

https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/court-role-and-structure

Tiffani,

Great post. I really liked how you outlined jurisdiction and how it relates to EMTALA vs

malpractice and negligence. After reading your post I was curious how one goes about filing an

EMTALA complaint. From what I could find out the person filing the complaint must contact

their local Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) office (by region) to file an

EMTALA complaint. Filing a complaint is a responsibility of the patient or facility. I’d like to

point out that the penalty for EMTALA violations are also subject to civil, personal injury claims

as well.

Heather,

The court systems in the United States can be confusing at times. For example, not all criminal

cases are heard in federal court only and not all traffic violations are heard just by the state.

States have criminal proceedings as well but I do like how you pointed out that the main

difference between state and federal court are the parties involved. Also, medical malpractice

and negligence cases can also be heard at the state level. Great post!