Lawsuits permitting a mall number of people to sue on behalf of all other people in unilateral situations
Justiciable disputes
Case must be able to be solved by law
Amicus curiae briefs
Legal briefs submitted to raise additional points not contained in the parties briefs
Original jurisdiction
Courts that hear the case first usually in trial
Appellate jurisdiction
Courts that hear cases on appeal
Only review legal issues not factual record
District courts
91 courts
Only federal courts where trials are held and juries impaneled
Courts of appeal
Appellate courts that review decisions of district courts
Supreme Court
Uniformity in interpreting national law, resolves state conflicts
Controls its agenda
Senatorial courtesy
Nominations for state-level federal judicial posts aren't confirmed if opposed by a senator of the president's party from the state the judge will serve in
Solicitor general
Presidential appointee
Third ranking office in the Department of Justice
In charge of appellate court litigation
Opinion
Statement of legal reasoning behind a judicial decision
State decisis
Let the decision stand
Precedent
How similar cases were decided in the past
Original intent
Constitution should be interpreted by original intent of the Framers
Judicial implementation
Whether court decisions become policies
Courts rely on other units of gov't to enforce decisions
Marbury v. Madison
1803 asserted rights of the Supreme Court
Established judicial review
Judicial review
Power of the court to determine the constitutionality of acts of Congress
US v. Nixon
1974 doctrine of executive privilege was in the Constitution but couldn't protect document in criminal proceedings