Criminal Cases and Courts Quiz

Criminal Cases and Courts

• Julia's Case (Murder): Charges filed in San Diego state court; appeal to a higher state appellate court.
• John's Case (Vandalism): Charged in federal court.
• Wyoming v. Colorado (Marijuana): Lawsuit filed in federal court.
• Kyra's Case (Firing): Appealed to the state's highest court in her state.
• States' Abortion Law Case: Appeal to the Supreme Court.
• Student Protest Case: Parents appealed to higher state appellate court.
• Teachers' Health Coverage Case (Ohio): Case in federal court (likely district court).
• NY Small Businesses Case (Minimum Wage): Appealed to the state appellate court; state of NY appealed the ruling to the highest New York state court.

Supreme Court Information

Supreme Court Case Types & Jurisdiction

• Original Jurisdiction: Cases involving disputes between states, or specific disputes defined by the Constitution.
• Appellate Jurisdiction: Cases appealed from lower courts, usually based on legal errors, where one wishes the decision to be overturned.

Case Selection Criteria

• Supreme Court criteria for selecting cases: Matters of significant legal impact, cases with conflicting rulings affecting similar cases.

Supreme Court Procedures

• Writ of Certiorari: A formal request for the Supreme Court to review a lower court's decision.
• Amicus Brief: A brief filed by a party who is not a direct party to the case but has a relevant interest.

Supreme Court Personnel

• Solicitor General: Represents the federal government in Supreme Court cases.

Supreme Court Operation

• Rule of Four: A majority of at least four justices must agree to hear a case.
• Supreme Court Hearings: Hearings are different than trials, usually involve oral arguments and legal briefs.
• Oral Arguments: Attorneys present their case and answer the justices' questions.
• Enforcing Supreme Court Rulings: The court relies on other branches of government for enforcement of its rulings.

Supreme Court Influences

• Public Opinion: Rarely, but sometimes public opinion can sway the justices' decision.

Supreme Court Nomination Process

• Constitutional Requirements for Justices: No explicit requirements in the Constitution. All justices are appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate.

Supreme Court Nominees

• President's Considerations: The nominee's experience, judicial philosophy, and qualifications to be a justice are assessed.

Constitutional Interpretation

• Judicial Restraint vs. Judicial Activism: Restraint emphasizes upholding prior precedent; activism emphasizes more actively shaping the law.
• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) vs. Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Plessy upheld racial segregation; Brown overturned it.
• Originalism: Interpreting the Constitution based on its original meaning. Criticisms include difficulty in determining the original intent.
• Living Constitution: Interpreting the Constitution considering evolving social values. Criticisms include vagueness and subjectivity.

Checks and Balances

• Checks on the Supreme Court: The other branches of government can check the Supreme Court's power (Congress, and executive), which includes the nomination and approval process.