Curated OER
Federal Court Systems and Court Cases
Ninth graders investigate the basis for the Common Law Tradition. They examine the organization of the Federal Court System and students identify the various sources of the American Law.
Curated OER
Court System Scavenger Hunt
High schoolers are assign a particular Federal or State Court. They are asked to make a poster of the court they have been assigned. Students are told that the poster should include a list of the types of cases that particular court...
US National Archives
Our Documents: The Federal Judiciary Act
An online resource on the Federal Judiciary Act that provides an explanation of the Act, an image of the document itself, and the text.
Other
Certiorari Practice: The Supreme Court's Shrinking Docket
Recent legislation has allowed the Supreme Court discretionary, rather than obligatory powers, in deciding which cases to decide. This in-depth and well-developed essay describes the process and criticizes the new system, while providing...
PBS
Pbs: How the Supreme Court Affects the Lives of Teens (Lesson Plan)
Objectives for this lesson include describing the structure and function of the Supreme Court, looking at important decisions, and discussing recent rulings and issues.
New York Times
New York Times: Supreme Court Landmark Cases
This site lists, with brief descriptions, major landmark decisions that have been made by the Supreme Court. Links to actual cases as well.
Other
The Federal Judiciary: Faq
Frequently asked questions about the federal judiciary, including judges, the court system, filing a case, jurors, the judicial conference, and employment opportunities.
Other
Federal Judicial Center: Inside the Federal Courts
A fantastic overview of the federal court system of the United States can be found here. Read about what the federal courts do, the difference between federal and state courts, the types of cases handled by federal courts, the structure...
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Article Iii: Federal State Courts Relations
This resource shows the relationship between the Federal and State Courts as stated in Article III of the U.S. Constitution. This annotated text details issues like problems raised by concurrency, autonomy of state courts, and rules of...
Other
Das Bundesverfassungsgericht
Official site of the Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht). Provides detailed information about the judges, the role of the court, its organization, proceedings and so on. Included also are press releases and...
Other
The Federal Judiciary Homepage
An overview of the Federal Court System, with an historical overview and a general description of the current system.
Lectric Law Library
Lectric Law Library: Understanding the Federal Courts
This document provides an overview of the organization, operation, and administration of the entire federal court system. The article gives information on the federal judicial branch, the state and federal courts, the structure of the...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Judicial Branch: The Power of the Federal Courts
An explanation of the power the federal courts hold in the American judicial branch of government. Find a quiz to test understanding.
iCivics
I Civics: Court Quest
In Court Quest, people from around the country need your help to navigate our court system. Listen carefully to each case, so you can guide them to the right place!
Other
Unt: Deciding to Decide, the Law and Politics Book Review
This informative review of "Deciding to Decide: Agenda Setting in the United States Supreme Court" by H.W. Perry, Jr. describes the process of Supreme Court case selection.
Other
Supreme Court of the United States: Opinions
This site from the Supreme Court of the United States contains links to opinion documents from the Supreme Court.
Other
U.s. Courts: About u.s. Courts
This site provides a description of the purpose of the federal courts and of the powers granted to them by the Constitution.
Other
Understanding the Federal Courts
A ten part publication which describes the federal court system, its structure and organization, what types of cases they hear and much more. You can also download a PDF version of the document.
Cato Institute
Buying Justice: Plaintiffs' Lawyers Reap Huge Dividends
This writer discusses the buying of justices' impartiality by trial lawyers and calls for tort reform.
New York Times
New York Times: Crossword Puzzle: The American Judicial System
The New York Times Learning Network has an interactive & printable crossword puzzle on The American Judicial System.
Cornell University
Cornell University: Law School: Federal Courts
This page gives a brief overview of the U.S. federal court system.