general info, Constitution

1. Article III
Judicial Branch
Supreme Court

2. Judicial Branch
• Number of Justices is determined by Congress
– Currently there are nine Justices
• All judges for Supreme Court and inferior
courts are appointed for life
– “shall hold their offices during Good Behavior”
• The Judicial Branch interprets the law

3. Supreme Court
• Supreme Court is part of the Constitution
• Congress can and has created lower (inferior)
courts
– District Courts
– Appellate Courts (Appeals)

4. Jurisdiction
• Jurisdiction - the power, right, or authority to
interpret and apply the law
• Appeal – to take a case to a higher court

5. Jurisdiction
• Original Jurisdiction – the first to hear a case
in court
• Appellate Court – to hear a case based on an
appeal
• Supreme Court – final court to hear a case
based on appeals

6. Jurisdiction
• Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in the
cases involving
– Ambassadors
– Public Ministers and Consuls
– Those in which a State shall be a party
• All crime cases will be trial by jury except for
– Impeachment

7. Treason
• Treason is
– Levying war against the United States
– Supporting her enemies
– Aiding and comforting her enemies
• Conviction of Treason requires
– Testimony of two Witnesses to the same act
– Confession in open court

8. Judicial Review
• Judicial Review
– A court's authority to examine an executive or
legislative act and to invalidate that act if it is
contrary to constitutional principles.

9. The Supreme Court Justices
Reagan Appointees
• Antonin Scalia • Anthony Kennedy
(Conservative) (Moderate)

10. The Supreme Court Justices
George H.W. Bush Appointees
• Clarence Thomas (Conservative)

11. The Supreme Court Justices
Clinton Appointees
• Ruth Ginsberg (Liberal) • Stephen Breyer(Liberal)

12. The Supreme Court Justices
George W. Bush Appointees
• Chief Justice John • Samuel Alito
Roberts (Conservative) (Conservative)

13. The Supreme Court Justices
Obama Appointees
• Sonya Sotomayer • Elena Kagan (Liberal)
(Liberal)