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Hello, I am Suhasini Vincent,
Associate Professor of Legal English

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at the University of Paris 2,
Panthéon Assas, and in this week's course,

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we shall have a look at Article
3 of the U.S.

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Constitution and look at the federal
court system and the federal judiciary.

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The federal judiciary is defined
and explained in Article 3 of the U.S.

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Constitution.

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The Declaration of Independence
by the 13 colonies on 4 July 1776

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led to the drafting of the Constitution
and its ratification on June 21,

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1788.

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The 13 states began to draft their
own state constitutions and made

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provisions to maintain,
reorganize, and expand their existing

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court systems that had functioned
until then under the supervision

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of governors appointed by the British
government.

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Article 3 of the U.S.

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Constitution thus established the
judicial branch of the USA and

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gave judges the legal fabric to
interpret and apply the laws of

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the newly founded nation and resolve
legal disputes between parties

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from different states.

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States intended to resolve their
conflicts, either criminal or civil,

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with their customary recognition
of the matters at hand and their

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customary understanding of
consequences, including sentencing.

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Section 1 of Article 3 clearly
states that the power to interpret

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the law of the U.S.

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will be held by the U.S.

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Supreme Court and the lower federal
courts.

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Relevant to this and relevant to
understanding of the articles and

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later of the amendments,
it was intended to support each other.

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Congress was given the power to
create inferior courts from time

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to time, when and where necessary,
in order to bind states with an

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adequate cohesion so as to have
enforceable federal legislation.

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Article 3 also protects the
independence of federal judges,

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but it stipulates that they may
remain in office during good behavior.

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Once appointed, their salaries
cannot be diminished or decreased.

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This protects the judges from being
manipulated through their salary.

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Initially, the federal court system
worked mostly at two main levels,

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but trials in the lower federal
courts and appeals being heard

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by the Scottish.

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However, territorial expansion,
population growth, and an increasing

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body of federal legislation made
it necessary for Congress to set

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up more courts and in 1891,
create an intermediate level for

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appeals so that the U.S.

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SC, as a United States court of
last resort, put here only the

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most important cases.

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U.S.

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constitutional questions for final
review and decision.

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Today, the main configurations
of the federal court system are

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often referred to as Article 3 courts.

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As Article 3 gives Congress the
power to create such inferior courts

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as it may from time to time,
ordained and established under

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one supreme court.

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Under this article, Congress has
created the 94 district courts

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and 13 circuit courts of appeal,
which are collectively referenced

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as Article 3 courts together with
the U.S.

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SC.

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They are described as the U.S.

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district courts, the U.S.

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circuit courts of appeal,
and the U.S.

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supreme court.

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They are courts of limited
jurisdiction.

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There are 94 federal trial courts
that hear the vast majority of

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federal cases.

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These are first instance courts
and may also be referenced as the

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federal courts of original
jurisdiction.

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In addition to civil cases,
including federal or diversity issues,

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these courts may hear criminal
cases in which defendants are accused

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of violating federal criminal laws.

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Keep in mind the continued value
states put on their own legal

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management systems.

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It's quite interesting to note
that states often bring state criminal

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prosecutions within their own state
courts, helping to explain why

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the maximum criminal sentences
vary between different states,

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pursuant to Article 3,
Section 2.

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And 3, a fair trial is guaranteed
by a trial by jury for all federal

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crimes.

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Amendments such as 6,
7, and 8 are examples which clarify

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U.S.

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constitutional protections,
such as the right to a trial by

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jury in civil suits when brought
before federal courts.

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All litigants may agree to be tried
by a single judge, although often

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district courts hold trials with
more than one judge sitting to

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hear the case.

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These courts of appeal refer to
the different geographical areas

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called the clusters of entire states

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along with portions of other states.

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Eleven of these thirteen are
numerically called circuit courts.

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For instance, first circuit court,
second circuit court,

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one is called the D.C.

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circuit court, and one the federal
circuit court.

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Appeals from all the 94 district
courts within these thirteen circuit

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courts are heard at this level.

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Such appeals are possible when
an appellant claims there has been

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an error of law while the case
was heard in a lower court.

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The circuit court of appeals judges
usually sit in panels of three

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to read or hear the arguments of
both sides.

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Their findings of facts are rarely
contested unless new evidence is

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discovered or the law remains in
question with the U.S.

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Constitution.

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If a criminal defendant is found
not guilty at trial,

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no appeal can be made against his
or her acquittal.

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Witnesses are not called to give
evidence and circuit court rulings

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are mostly final as access to the U.S.

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Supreme Court is very difficult
to obtain.

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Next week we will study the U.S.

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SC, the limits of federal jurisdiction
and the reach of federal courts.

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Thank you.