Crash Course Government

Episode 19: Structure of the Court System

1. What kind of “jurisdiction” do trial courts have?

2. The vast majority of cases start out in state courts, but where are most disputes, both civil and criminal,
actually decided?

3. In the federal court system, the trial courts are called U.S. __________________ courts. Where do almost
all criminal cases start?

4. There are 12 circuit courts distributed regionally across the United States. What exactly are these courts?
Which judicial circuit is considered to be very liberal?

5. At the federal level, trials in the district courts are before _________________________ judge(s) and
appeals are heard by ____________________________ judge(s).

6. There are four instances where federal courts have original jurisdiction, meaning they must be the place
where the case starts. List at least two of these instances.

7. Most of the time, the Supreme Court has what kind of jurisdiction?

8. The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in certain kinds of cases, meaning that the case will START in
the highest court in the land and no other court will ever hear it. Cite at least one kind of case that must
start in the Supreme Court.

9. In order for the Supreme Court to hear a case on appeal, the case must somehow raise what kind of
question?

10. The Supreme Court is asked to review a lot of cases. About what percentage of them are heard by the
court and result in decisions?

11. If a court refuses to hear your case because you do not have “standing,” what does that mean? What
does it mean for a case to be moot?

12. What is the “political question doctrine?”

13. What circumstance virtually guarantees that the Supreme Court will take a case referred to it?

14. Dream up an example of a civil case and another example of a criminal case. What is the essential
difference between the two?

15. Why is the Supreme Court not required to take every case referred to it for review?
 Crash Course Government
Episode 20: Supreme Court Procedures

1. The Supreme Court does not have original jurisdiction for most cases. In this situation, what must
happen before you can bring your case to the Supreme Court?

2. A formal request for the Supreme Court to hear your case is called a writ of __________________.

3. Who is the Solicitor General?

4. What is a reason the Solicitor General might screen out a case & NOT refer it to the Supreme Court?

5. If your case is referred to the Supreme Court, the nine justices will discuss whether or not to hear it. If
you are granted certiorari, it means they will take your case. How many judges must agree to grant a
case certiorari?

6. About how many cases will the Supreme Court grant certiorari to each year?

7. Before the case is argued, each side must submit _____________________, which are written legal
arguments explaining why and how the law favors one side in the case and not the other.

8. If you want the Supreme Court to overturn a lower court decision, you are called the______________.

9. If you want the Supreme Court to uphold a lower court decision, you are called the_______________.

10. What kind of individuals or groups will file amicus curiae, also known as amicus briefs?

11. When the two sides appear in the Supreme Court, how long does each side get to “make its case,”
which mostly consists of answering questions the justices ask?

12. How many of the nine justices must agree in order for a Court decision to be published?

13. What happens if the Court remands the case?

14. How does the Court issue its decisions?

15. What can make a Court decision appear stronger?

16. If a judge writes a concurring opinion, it means he or she agrees with the majority opinion but has
different __________________________________to reach the same conclusion.

17. A _________________________opinion is one that disagrees with the majority opinion.