2.4. The Federal Judiciary

The third branch of government is the federal judiciary. Its main function is to watch over the legislative and executive branches whether they work in accordance with the Constitution.

There are about 100 Federal courts throughout the country, the main one is the Supreme Court, which is the highest tribunal in the USA. It includes a Chief Justice and eight associate justices who are nominated by the President but must be approved by the Senate. A decision of the Supreme Court cannot be appealed to any other court. Neither the President nor Congress can change their decision.

In addition to the Supreme Court, Congress has established

 11 federal courts of appeal and below them

• 91 federal district courts (200 district judges; each state has at least one district court).

Besides the above mentioned there are:

• the (Circuit) Courts of Appeals – a middle layer of Federal court and

• special courts, such as:

 Court of Claims,

 the Tax Court,

 the Court of Customs,

 Patent Appeals.

In the United State, the judiciary is divided into the national and state. In most of the states the lowest courts are the magistrates’ or police courts. Some of the states have special traffic courts, probate courts, etc.

Defendant (n)

Sentence (v)

Fraud (n)

Prosecute (v)

Truncheon (n)

journal of proceedings

bicameral legislation

district attorney

a court of appeals

a probate court

robbery and burglary

A

B

C

1 . to recall

a) taxes

1. to recall a bill

2. to levy

b) a quarum

2.

3. to raise

c) to a court

3.

4. to share

d) a bill

4.

5. to appeal

e) decisions

5.

6. to change

f) responsibilities

6.

A

B

1. Filibuster

a) a process of formally accusing a public official of committing a serious crime relating to their job

1 - ___

2. a filibuster

b) a decorated stick carried by an official on special occasions - a symbol of authority of the House

2 - ___

3. President pro tempore

c) a person who preside over the House of Representatives

3 -____

4 . sergeant-at-Arms

d) the parliamentary party sitting as a body or a group of politicians within a political party who have special interests or responsibilities

4 - ___

5. mace

5. organized obstructionist tactics in legislative bodies

5 - ___

6. caucus

f) a member of a legislative body (Senate0 who obstructs the passage of a bill by making long speeches, introducing irrelevant issues

6 - d

7. Speaker

g) an officer appointed to keep order in a legislature

7 - ___

8. impeachment

h) a person who holds office at the pleasure of the Senate and presides during absences of the Vice-President

8 - ___

S t a t e m e n t s

T

F

1. Congress has the power to make laws.

√

2. The President may veto any act of Congress.

3. Congress can refuse to provide funds requested by the President.

4. The Senate appoints important officials of the President’s administration.

5. The officials appointed by the President must be approved by the Senate.

6. The President and the Senate approve the names of federal judges.

7. All federal judges must be approved by the senate.

8. The courts have the power to determine the constitutionality of all acts of Congress and of the presidential actions.

9. New presidents can radically change governmental policies.

10. The President of the USA is not as powerful as leaders in systems where the majority party forms the government