Social Sciences and History / Unit 8 SSH 0720 short lesson, about 20 seconds
District, Circuit, Supreme
Captions available
The idea
Congress largely built the three-tier federal system: district courts, where cases are tried and evidence heard; courts of appeals, also called circuit courts, which review district decisions; and the Supreme Court. Reliance on precedent keeps the system stable while letting it evolve slowly.
In practice
The docket: cases pending on a court's calendar.
Where people slip
Senatorial courtesy: consulting a state's senators before nominating.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it