Chapter 12: The Federal Courts

Chapter Outline

The Legal System Settles Disputes

• Court Cases Proceed under Criminal, Civil, or Public Law
• Types of Courts Include Trial, Appellate, and Supreme

The Federal Courts Hear a Small Percentage of All Cases

• The Lower Federal Courts Handle Most Cases
• The Appellate Courts Hear 10 Percent of Lower Court Cases
• The Supreme Court Is the Court of Final Appeal
• Judges Are Appointed by the President and Approved by the Senate
• The Solicitor General and Law Clerks Also Control the Flow of Cases

The Power of the Supreme Court Is Judicial Review

• Judicial Review Covers Acts of Congress
• Judicial Review Also Applies to State Actions
• Most Cases Reach the Supreme Court by Appeal
• The Supreme Court's Procedures Mean Cases May Take Months or Years
• Supreme Court Decisions Are Influenced by Activism and Ideology
• The Judiciary Was Designed to Protect Liberty

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