Flashcards: Understanding the U.S. Judicial System — 20 cards

Judicial System — structure?

Separate state and federal court systems.

State courts — hierarchy?

Minor trial, major trial, appellate, supreme.

Federal courts — levels?

District, circuit, Supreme Court.

Jurisdiction — definition?

Authority to hear and decide cases.

Supreme Court — justices?

1 Chief Justice, 8 Associate Justices.

Judicial appointment — process?

Presidential nomination, Senate ratification.

Marbury v. Madison — significance?

Established judicial review.

Suffrage — evolution?

Expanded from property to universal male voting.

Political parties — origin?

Formed around 1824 presidential election.

Early democratic movements — focus?

Social reforms, associations, moral campaigns.

State courts — hearing evidence?

Only at trial court level.

Federal courts — jurisdiction?

Federal laws, Constitution, treaties.

Judicial review — case?

Marbury v. Madison, 1803.

Lifelong judges — reason?

Ensure independence from politics.

Supreme Court — ideological camps?

Textualists and contextualists.

Federal judges — appointment?

Presidential nomination, Senate approval.

Marbury v. Madison — ruling?

Courts can declare laws unconstitutional.

Suffrage — Western states?

Adopted universal male suffrage early.

Political mobilization — effect?

Increased citizen participation.

Early movements — purpose?

Moral reform, social activism.