The Appeals Courts

The Second Look

How Appeals Courts Shape Justic.

START

Objectives and standards

Standards 5.1.12.A Evaluate the principles and ideals that shape U.S. government. 5.1.12.C Evaluate the application of the U.S. Constitution to the roles of citizens and government.

Objectives I can explain what the U.S. Courts of Appeals do and how they fit into the federal court system. I can identify what happens when a case is appealed and what outcomes are possible.

Desired Result

Why does an appeal court matter to the U.S. justice system?

What Would You Do?

Question:You just lost your case in a trial court, but you believe the judge made a mistake. What would you do next? Options: 1.) Accept the decision and move on 2.) Appeal the case to a higher court 3.) Post about it on social media 4.) Ask the judge to change their mind 5.) I’m not sure what I would do

Three Levels of Justice

District Courts ( Trial Courts)

Courts of Appeals(Appeals Courts)

Supreme Court(Highest Court)

Second-Chance Court

What is an Appeals Court?A court that gives a case a second look if someone thinks the trial court made a mistake. What does it do? It doesn’t hold a new trial. Judges review the case and decide if the law was used fairly.

What can happen? The decision stays the same. The decision is changed. The case goes back for a new trial. Why does it matter? Appeals courts help protect people’s rights and make sure the law is followed correctly.

What Cases Can You Appeal?

A constitutional challenge happens when someone believes a law, government action, or court decision goes against the U.S. Constitution—especially the Bill of Rights. This type of appeal focuses on whether a person’s constitutional rights (like free speech, due process, or equal protection) were violated.

A civil appeal happens when one side in a non-criminal case (like a lawsuit over money, property, or contracts) believes the judge made a legal mistake during the trial.

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Sometimes, people or businesses have to deal with government agencies—like the Social Security Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. If someone disagrees with a decision made by one of these agencies, they can appeal it.

Sometimes, different courts interpret the same federal law in different ways. When that happens, a higher court—like a Court of Appeals or even the Supreme Court—steps in to decide what the law really means. This type of appeal helps make sure that federal laws are applied the same way across the country.

A criminal appeal happens when someone who was found guilty of a crime believes there was a legal mistake during their trial. They’re not saying they didn’t do it—they’re saying the trial wasn’t fair or the law wasn’t followed correctly.

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Constitutional Challenges

Civil Case Appeals

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Administrative Agency Appeals

Federal Law Interpretations

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Criminal Appeals

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"Mapping Justice: How U.S. Federal Courts Are Organized"

94 District Courts

13 Circuit Courts of Appeals

• These are the trial-level courts where federal cases begin.

• Each circuit contains several district courts.

• District courts handle cases like:

Federal crimes Civil rights issues Disputes between states or citizens from different states

• The U.S. is divided into 13 regional circuits.

• Each circuit has a Court of Appeals that reviews cases from lower courts.

• These courts don’t hold trials—they review decisions made by district courts.

Circuit Boundaries

• Congress decides the geographic boundaries of each circuit.

• These boundaries group states and territories together based on location and population.

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Behind the Bench: Who Are the Judges?

Appointed by the President The President chooses federal judges.

Confirmed by the Senate The Senate votes to approve the President’s choice.

Serve for Life Judges stay in their role for life, unless they retire or are removed.

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Tnk Again: How Appeals Courts Review Justice

Voices of the Court: Understanding Judicial Opinions

These opinions are made public and set a rule for future cases.

The official decision of the court.

Majority Opinion

Published

Most judges agree on this version.

Other courts must follow them.

These are not meant to guide future cases.

Written by judges who disagree with the majority.

Legal Opinions

Dissenting Opinion

Unpublished

They apply only to the case at hand.

Explains why they think the decision is wrong.

A short opinion written by the court as a whole, not by a single judge.

Judges agree with the result but for different reasons.

Concurring Opinion

Per Curiam

They write separately to explain their thinking.

Often used for clear or unanimous decisions.

The Top Court: Where Big Decisions Are Made

Closure

Why does an appeal court matter to the U.S. justice system?

Where most federal cases start. Judges and sometimes juries decide the facts. Think of it as the first stop in the court system.

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If someone thinks the trial court made a mistake, they can appeal. No new trial—judges review what happened in the lower court. These courts decide if the law was applied fairly and correctly.

The final word on legal questions. Chooses which cases to hear—usually ones that affect the whole country. Can overturn decisions from lower courts.

What is Legal "Precedent"?

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