The Judicial System

The Courts and Jurisdiction

Courts

• Trial Courts: Decides controversies by determining facts and applying appropriate rules

• Appellate Courts: Review the decisions of trial courts– Reviews whether court acted I/A/W the law and

rules– Usually does not disturb fact determinations

State Courts

• Each State may set up its own separate and unique court system

• Courts can be original, appellate, unlimited, limited, or specialized courts

State Courts:Texas

Jurisdiction

• Does the Court have the power to hear the case?– Must have authority to hear that type of case

and those specific persons– More than one court may have jurisdiction to

hear a case

Jurisdiction

• Subject Matter Jurisdiction– Allocation of workload by statute or

constitution• General, limited, specialized, $$$$ amount

– Geographical limits

Jurisdiction over the Person

• Jurisdiction over the Person– “sufficient minimum contacts”– Cannot offend “traditional notions of fair play

and substantial justice”

Jurisdiction over the Person

• Requires:– 1. Defendant purposely avails self of the privilege

of acting in the state or causing a consequences in the state,

– 2. The case must arise from the defendant’s activities in the state, and

– 3. The acts of the defendant or consequences caused by the defendant must have a substantial enough connection with the state to make jurisdiction reasonable

Jurisdiction over the Person

• Long-arm Statutes– A state statute that spells out what is ‘sufficient

minimum contact’ with the state for jurisdiction over nonresidents

• In Personam jurisdiction over Corporations– Where incorporated– Doing business within the state– Must have agent for service

In Rem Jurisdiction

• Jurisdiction over all property (real or personal) located within the state

• Court can decide disputes concerning the property even if personal jurisdiction does not exist over the owner

• Notice to the parties

Venue

• Where judicial authority should be exercised

• If more than one venue proper, plaintiff selects

• Court can decline if local prejudice, convenience of litigants/witnesses, or interest of justice

US District Courts

• 94 Courts

• At least one is each state and territory

• Derives its jurisdiction wholly from Congress. – Congress may withhold or restrict jurisdiction

as it wishes

US District Courts

• Federal Civil Jurisdiction– US is a plaintiff or defendant– A federal question exists– Admiralty Questions– Diversity of Citizenship

• All Plaintiffs and Defendants from different States• Amount in controversy >$75K (Could it be awarded)

– Alienage

US District Courts

• Corporations– Citizens of state of incorporation and state of

principal place of business

• Venue– Where any defendant resides– Where claim arose– Where property is located– Where can get personal service on defendant

US District Courts

• Removal from state to federal court– Any suit that originally could have been filed in

federal court, • unless filed in the home state of defendant and does not involve a federal question

• What Substantive Law??? (Erie Doctrine)– For federal questions, follow federal law– For other cases, follow state law

13 US Courts of Appeal

13 US Courts of Appeal

• 11 Circuit Courts of Appeals

• District of Columbia

• Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit– Patent, trademark, copyright, where US the

defendant, Court of Federal Claims, and Court of International Trade

13 US Courts of Appeal

• Appeals as a matter of right

• Final appeal for most cases

• Reviews include:– Administrative decisions– Questions of law, not fact

Supreme Court

• Appeals not a matter of right

• File a writ of certiorari