United States Government: Federal - Judicial Institution, Part 2
Question 1: Describe: How Laws are Made Part III
Answer 1: The conference committee reconciles any differences between the two houses with regard to the bill and if any alterations are made the committee sends the bill back to each house for final approval. After the bill has been approved it is printed, or enrolled, and certified. The enrolled bill is the signed by both the Speaker of the House and the Vice President, who is the leader of the Senate. After the bill has received the necessary signatures, it is sent to the President of the United States, where he must sign it within ten days or veto it. If the President signs the bill it becomes law. If the President chooses to veto the bill, it is sent back to Congress, and if two-thirds of both houses vote to pass the bill, it becomes law without the President’s signature.
There are lots of good resources about Judicial Institutions that you can find available.
Question 2: Define: Courts of Appeals
Answer 2: The second highest level of the federal judiciary branch is comprised of the courts of appeals. The courts of appeals were created in 1891 to reduce the overwhelming number of cases that were sent to the Supreme Court and more quickly and efficiently process cases. There are twelve regional circuit courts of appeal, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Most circuit courts have between ten and fifteen judges, but the number varies widely between courts. The purpose of the courts of appeals is to review the decisions of the district courts, or of the trial courts at the federal level, and to review orders of regulatory agencies in instances where the agencies have reviewed the orders themselves internally but there remains dissent over legal issues. The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit also has national jurisdiction to hear appeals in unique circumstances.
Question 3: Define: District Courts
Answer 3: The district courts are below the courts of appeals. There are ninety-four districts among the fifty states and territories of the U.S. Districts are established by Congress based on the population, the size, and the caseload in a particular area. Small states can represent an entire district; larger states are divided into up to four districts. There are at minimum two judges for every district court. Judges must be residents of the district they work in, with the exception of judges in D.C. District courts sessions are held in varying cities within a district for specific durations of time in each city. The types of cases that appear before district courts address issues related to federal crimes. District courts are the only federal courts in which a grand jury indicts individuals accused of criminal acts and a jury makes a decision on a case. In every district there is also a U.S. bankruptcy court, as bankruptcy issues must be handled in federal courts as opposed to state courts.
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