Levels of Federal Courts
Guiding Questions
- What is the structure of the federal court system in the United States?
Objectives
- Students will understand the different levels of federal courts in the United States.
- Students will assess the purpose of each level of court.
Engage
- Ask students: “What are the goals of a justice system?” Have students write ideas on sticky notes and post them on the board or use a digital tool such as Padlet to collect responses.
- Briefly review the concept of federalism and how power is divided in the United States. Have them consider the same ideas and how they apply to having a judicial system with multiple levels of federal courts across the country.
- Ask students: “How does federalism help ensure a fair justice system across a large country?”
Explore
- Have students examine the Federal Courts Infographic. Individually, or in pairs, have students identify the three levels of federal courts and annotate the infographic to explain the function of each level.
- Then have students review the district and circuit courts map. Have them locate their state and identify the corresponding district court and court of appeals circuit. Be sure students understand the concept of jurisdiction and explain how it limits the types of cases each court level can hear.
- After reviewing the court system, pose these questions for individual reflection or small group discussion:
- Why do you think a large country like the U.S. needs multiple court levels, rather than just one federal court? (This is best asked after they learn about jurisdiction).
- Considering the map, why do you think court of appeals rulings only affect certain states?
- After students have a chance to explore the resources and answer the questions, review the role of each court level (district courts, courts of appeals, Supreme Court) and how they work together.
- Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group a hypothetical case that could be heard in the federal court system. Examples: Environmental lawsuit between two states, Patent infringement case between companies. Each group should determine the appropriate court level (district court, circuit court, or Supreme Court) to hear their assigned case and explain their reasoning. Facilitate a class discussion where each group presents their case and reasoning. Encourage the class to analyze why a particular court level is best suited for each scenario.
Evaluate and Reflect
- Briefly describe the three levels of the federal court system. Explain how ONE of these levels helps to ensure justice in the United States. Be specific about the role this court plays and how it contributes to achieving a fair justice system.
- Students can respond in writing or can record their answers in video.
Student Handouts
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