Question

key concepts
directions: for each section, answer the questions in complete sentences.
federalism & the court
the constitution created a governmental structure for the united states called federalism. federalism refers to a sharing of powers between the central (federal) government, and the governments of each of the individual 50 states. the constitution gives certain powers to the federal government and reserves the rest for the states.
federalism also means that both the federal and state governments need their own court systems to apply and interpret their laws. the federal court system deals with issues of law relating to the powers expressly or implicitly granted to it by the constitution while state court systems deal with matters that the constitution did not give to the federal government nor explicitly deny to the states.
how does federalism apply to the court system?
what types of laws can state courts rule on?
the supreme court
which court is the highest - ruling court in the nation?
the supreme court of the united states sits at the apex of the federal court system. it is composed of nine judges, known as justices, and is presided over by the chief justice. it sits in washington d.c.
parties who are not satisfied with the decision of a u.s. circuit court of appeal (or, in rare cases, of a u.s. district court), or a state supreme court can petition the u.s. supreme court to hear their case. this is mainly done by a legal procedure known as a petition for a writ of certiorari.
the court has discretion to decide whether to accept such cases. the court accepts about 100 - 150 of some 7,000 cases it is asked to hear for argument per year. the cases typically fit within general criteria for oral arguments. four justices must agree to hear the case. while primarily an appellate court, the court does have original jurisdiction over cases involving ambassadors and two or more states.
how does the supreme court get cases? how do they decide which cases to hear?
in your own words, explain tafts above belief about the supreme court.
\presidents come and go, but the supreme court goes on forever\ - william howard taft
there are some singers that know exactly when to go, and others hang on much too long and that is the same, that is the same with judges. my own view is that many times, as long as i can do the work full - steam, i will stay on the court. but when i feel myself slipping, when i slow down in my ability to write opinions with fair dispatch, when i forget the names of cases that i once could recite at the drop of a hat, i will know.\ - justice ruth bader ginsburg 9/16/2013
what are the benefits and drawbacks of justices receiving lifetime appointments to the supreme court?

Explanation:

1. Federalism applies to the court system by dividing powers between federal and state courts. Federal courts handle federal - related issues, while state courts deal with state - specific and some concurrent matters.
2. State courts can rule on state laws, including criminal, civil, and family - law matters that are not preempted by federal law.
3. The highest ruling court in the nation is the Supreme Court of the United States.
4. The Supreme Court gets cases mainly through a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari. It decides which cases to hear based on criteria such as the importance of the legal issue and the need for national uniformity in the law. Four justices must agree to hear a case.
5. Taft's belief implies the Supreme Court's long - lasting and stable nature compared to the transient nature of presidents.
6. Benefits of lifetime appointments for Supreme Court justices include independence from political pressures and the ability to build long - term legal expertise. Drawbacks may include a lack of fresh perspectives and potential for justices to overstay their effectiveness.

Answer:

1. Federalism divides court - system powers between federal and state courts.
2. State courts rule on state laws not preempted by federal law.
3. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest ruling court.
4. Gets cases via Petition for a Writ of Certiorari; decides based on criteria, four - justice agreement needed.
5. The Supreme Court is more stable than presidents.
6. Benefits: independence, expertise; Drawbacks: lack of new perspectives, potential ineffectiveness.