The document summarizes the structure and jurisdiction of the US federal court system and the North Carolina state court system. The US Supreme Court has original and appellate jurisdiction and hears appeals from lower federal courts. There are 12 US Courts of Appeals that review cases from US district courts and consider questions of law. The 94 US district courts are trial courts that handle most cases. The North Carolina court system includes the NC Supreme Court, appellate courts that review questions of law from lower courts, and trial-level superior and district courts that handle felony, civil, and juvenile cases.

1. Supreme Court
Only 1
Have original &
Appellate jurisdiction
12 US Courts of Appeals: Courts who
Review cases on appeal from the
districts.
Also called circuit courts. Only rule on
law
And law application not verdict.
& US Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit
94 District Courts: Courts of original jurisdiction
These courts do most of the work
Other ‘district’ courts: US Court of Federal Claims, Territorial
Courts,
Courts of DC, US Court of Veterans Claims, US Courts of
Appeals for the
Armed Forces, US Tax Court
US Constitution
Article III: Federal
Judiciary
9 Members on the US
Supreme Court
1 Chief & 8 Associate
Justices
Panel of 3 judges who
review case & affirm or
reverse verdict or
remand case.
Trial Court

2. NC
Supreme
Court
7 members
1 Chief & 6 Associates
NC Appellate Courts – 15 judges sit
in rotating panels of 3, deciding only
questions of law on cases appealed
from Superior and District Courts.
North Carolina Lower Courts: NC Superior Court-
Also called county court or circuit courts with and may
be
specialized in criminal, civil, and juvenile. Hears all
felony
cases, civil cases over $10,000, and serious juvenile
cases.
NC District Courts- can be divided into 4 categories – civil, criminal,
juvenile and magistrate. NCDCs sit in the county seat of each county – for
civil cases such as divorce, child custody & support, & involving less than
$10,000
along with criminal misdemeanors. Magistrate courts accept guilty pleas
for minor
misdemeanors, traffic violations, and civil cases involving less than $4,000.
They supervise all other state courts. No
determination in fact – only considers error in
law. All decisions final unless appealed to
USSupCt.
NC Constitution
Article IV: The
State Judiciary

3. NC
members
Chief & Associates
NC _______________ Courts –
judges sit in rotating panels
of ______, deciding only
North Carolina ____________: NC _______ Court-
Also called ____________________________ with and
may be
specialized in . Hears
all _________
cases, _______ cases over _________, and
__________________.
NC _______________- can be divided into __ categories –
. NCDCs sit in the ____________ of each county –
for
civil cases such as
along with criminal misdemeanors.
They supervise all other state courts. No
determination in fact – only considers error in
law. All decisions final unless appealed to
USSupCt.
NC Article IV: The
State Judiciary

4. _____________
Only 1
Have ______ &
_________ jurisdiction
____US Courts of ________: Courts who
Review cases on appeal from the districts.
Also called circuit courts. _____________
And law application not verdict.
& US Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit
____________________________: Courts of original
jurisdiction
Other ‘district’ courts:
Article III: Federal
Judiciary
__ Members on the US
Supreme Court
1 ______ & __ ___________
Justices
Panel of _____ judges
who ______ case &
________ or
_______verdict or
____________ case.
Trial Court