The federal court system has jurisdiction over cases involving federal laws, treaties, the Constitution, bankruptcy, maritime law, ambassadors, disputes between states, and disputes between citizens of different states. Federal courts are divided into the Supreme Court, appellate courts, and trial courts. The Supreme Court is the final step in the appeals process and has the power to interpret the Constitution, but can only rule on specific cases, not broad issues, that are brought before it through the litigation process.

1. Powers of the Federal Court
Ch. 11, sec. 1

2. Jurisdiction of the courts
 Jurisdiction- the authority to hear a
certain case (which type of courts get to
try which cases).
 State Courts
 Each state has its own system of courts
 Tries cases involving state laws
 Federal Courts
 Supreme Court
 Lower federal courts
 Tries cases involving federal laws

3. Federal Courts try cases
involving:
 U.S. laws  Ambassadors to foreign
countries
 Treaties with foreign
countries  Two or more states
 Interpretation of the  U.S. govt. office or
Constitution agency
 Bankruptcy  Citizens from different
states
 Maritime law

4. Concurrent Jurisdiction
 In some cases, both state and federal courts have
jurisdiction.
 Ex: disputes between people from different states
can choose a state or federal court if it is over
$75,000.

5. Types of federal courts
 Supreme Court-
final step
 Appellate Court
(appeals)-
Appellate
Jurisdiction
 Trial Court-
Original
Jurisdiction

6. Supreme Court Power
 The court cannot go looking
for an issue
 They must wait until
litigants (people filing a
lawsuit) come before them.
 Courts cannot answer
questions about broad issues
 They can only make
decisions on specific
individual cases.

7. Marbury vs. Madison

8. Dred Scott vs. Sandford

9. Slaughterhouse Cases

10. Plessy vs. Ferguson

11. Brown vs. Board of
Education