Courts in a Nutshell Name: Slide 4: Federal District Courts 1. How are the districts inside a state named? Slide 5: Federal Courts of Appeals Which circuit do you live in? (Hint: Nobody lives in the Federal Circuit.) ? ?? 2. Is your state divided into districts? o Yes 3. Complete this sentence: I live in the I live in the Circuit. District of (If your state isn’t divided into regions, you won’t put anything in that first blank.) Slide 6: The Highest Court in the Land 1. Use the website to answer these questions: Who is the current Chief Justice? Who has been on the court the longest? What year did that justice take his/her seat? Who is the newest justice? What year did he/she join the court? For this, IGNORE any justices that have (Retired) by their names. 2. Complete the following information for three Supreme Court justices. Assume they sat on the Court of Appeals until the year they were appointed to the Supreme Court. Justice served on the Circuit Court of Appeals for years. Justice served on the Circuit Court of Appeals for years. Justice served on the Circuit Court of Appeals for years. 3. Did any of the justices serve on the Court of Appeals in YOUR circuit? No. I’m in the and none served there. circuit Yes. Justice in the served circuit. iCIVICS Courts in a Nutshell WQ Companion Worksheet p. 2
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Slide 4: Federal District Courts
- How are the districts inside a state named? In the federal court system, each state is divided into one or more judicial districts, each known as a “district.” These districts are typically named after the state and a specific region within it. For example, California has four districts: the Northern, Eastern, Central, and Southern Districts. The naming convention often reflects the geographical location within the state.
Slide 5: Federal Courts of Appeals
- Which circuit do you live in? As a resident of Kachiuru, Meru, Kenya, you are not subject to the U.S. federal court system. The federal appellate circuits are specific to the United States and do not extend internationally. Therefore, you do not reside in any of the U.S. federal appellate circuits.
- Is your state divided into districts? Kenya’s judicial system is separate from the U.S. federal system. Kenya is divided into regions known as judicial divisions, each with its own High Court. Meru, where Kachiuru is located, falls under the Meru Judicial Division.
- Complete this sentence: I live in the [District/Circuit] of [Name]. In Kenya, you would complete the sentence as follows: “I live in the Meru Judicial Division.”
Slide 6: The Highest Court in the Land
- Use the website to answer these questions:
- Who is the current Chief Justice? As of January 2025, the Chief Justice of the United States is John G. Roberts Jr. He has served since 2005.
- Who has been on the court the longest? What year did that justice take his/her seat? Justice Clarence Thomas has been on the Supreme Court the longest, having taken his seat in 1991.
- Who is the newest justice? What year did he/she join the court? Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is the newest justice, having joined the Supreme Court in 2022.
- Complete the following information for three Supreme Court justices. Assume they sat on the Court of Appeals until the year they were appointed to the Supreme Court.
- Justice Clarence Thomas served on the Court of Appeals for 1 year.
- Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. served on the Court of Appeals for 15 years.
- Justice Sonia Sotomayor served on the Court of Appeals for 11 years.
- Did any of the justices serve on the Court of Appeals in YOUR circuit? As a resident of Kenya, you are not subject to the U.S. federal court system, and thus, the concept of a federal appellate circuit does not apply to you. Therefore, none of the justices served in a circuit relevant to your location.
Explanation
The U.S. federal court system is structured into three main levels: District Courts, Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. District Courts are the trial courts where cases are initially heard. Courts of Appeals review decisions from the District Courts to ensure the law was applied correctly. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land, serving as the final arbiter on legal disputes.
Each state in the U.S. is divided into one or more judicial districts, and these districts are grouped into regional circuits. For example, California is divided into four districts, and these districts are part of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The naming of these districts often reflects the geographical location within the state.
The Supreme Court consists of nine justices, including the Chief Justice. Justices are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They serve lifetime appointments, ensuring judicial independence. Before serving on the Supreme Court, many justices have experience on the Court of Appeals, which is the intermediate appellate court in the federal system.
It’s important to note that the U.S. federal court system is separate from Kenya’s judicial system. Kenya has its own structure, with the Supreme Court at the top, followed by the Court of Appeal, High Court, and subordinate courts. The divisions within Kenya’s judicial system are based on regions and do not correspond to the U.S. federal districts or circuits.
Understanding the structure of the court system is crucial for comprehending how legal disputes are resolved and how the judiciary functions within a country. While the U.S. and Kenya have different judicial structures, both systems aim to uphold justice and the rule of law.