What is one of the major roles appellate courts play in the federal judiciary

The Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress preserves, arranges, and makes available for research the personal papers and organizational records of historical significance that have been acquired by the Library. This guide highlights the Manuscript Division's collections of federal lower court judges of the United States circuit courts of appeal and federal district courts (non-Supreme Court collections, e.g. non-SCOTUS).

Federal Court Overview

Although the Supreme Court has the greatest authority in the federal court system, the circuit courts and district courts play a vital role in federal law. The United States courts of appeals consist of thirteen appellate courts that rank below the Supreme Court. A court of appeals hears lawsuits from the district courts in its circuit and decisions appealed from federal administrative agencies. There are ninety-four federal judicial districts that are organized into twelve regional circuits. Each circuit has a court of appeals. The thirteenth court is the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit which hears specialized cases pertaining to patent law and decisions made by the Court of International Trade and the Court of Federal Claims. While court of appeals cases are decided by panels of judges, the U.S. district courts are trial courts that have a presiding judge and a jury who decides a case. District courts hear both civil and criminal matters.

Decisions adjudicated by appellate and district courts often reach the Supreme Court. The papers of judges of these lower courts provide researchers with greater context regarding the legal issues that have shaped not only judicial history, but the larger nation. Many of the collections feature bench books, dockets, diaries, case files, and correspondence related to various legal proceedings that reach federal courts.

Beyond Legal History

Because judges often worked in other capacities during their lifetime, several collections touch upon metropolitan histories in areas such as the regions of the Mid-Atlantic and the South. Also represented are files pertaining to judicial conferences, which provide insight into circuit policy and legal procedures. These papers are valuable because they provide a window into legal, urban, and cultural history along with insights into the burgeoning prison industrial systems sometimes referred to by historians as the carceral state.

SCOTUS

Due to their time on federal courts prior to their appointment to the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS), the papers of several SCOTUS justices appear in the guide as well, however these entries focus on their pre-SCOTUS service particularly in regard to their work as a judge. Researchers interested in the SCOTUS portion of their career, should consult with reference staff in the reading room and the specialist responsible for overseeing the Manuscript Division's legal collections.

Arrangement of Collections

The guide is arranged by type of court and therein alphabetically by the name of judge. Each entry contains an overview of a collection and highlights its strengths and unique features. Each entry includes links to catalog records for an individual collection. On each catalog record, find more information about the collection. Many of these collections have a finding aid linked from the record. The finding aid provides a description of the content and arrangement of the collection. Information about Searching Finding Aids is available on the Search Tips page of this guide.

A few collections in this guide list access restrictions. Many of them, however, are available for research and include restrictions for only a small part of the collection. Collections not available online are accessible in the Manuscript Reading Room.

Arizona has two appellate courts: The Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court, and the Supreme Court is the court of last resort.

Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals was established in 1965 as the first level of appeal up from superior court. Division One, in Phoenix, has 16 judges, and Division Two, in Tucson, has six judges initially appointed to office by the Governor and subject to retention election for regular terms of six years.

The Court of Appeals:

     •  Hears and decides cases in three-judge panels. 
     •  Has jurisdiction in all matters properly appealed from superior court. 
     •  Reviews all decisions properly appealed to it.

Court of Appeals, Division One, has statewide responsibility for appeals from the Industrial Commission, unemployment compensation rulings of the Department of Economic Security, and rulings by the Tax Court.

The appeals process is generally the same for both civil and criminal cases. There are filing fees in civil cases, but not for criminal cases.

Court Personnel
Each division of the Court of Appeals has a clerk of the court and other support personnel. A clerk of the court maintains official records and case files and handles the administrative duties of the court. The clerk’s duties are outlined in A.R.S. § 12-120.09.

Court of Appeals Judge Qualifications
A Court of Appeals judge must be:

     •  At least 30 years old; 
     •  Of good moral character, and 
     •  An Arizona resident and admitted to the practice of law in Arizona for the five years immediately prior to taking office.

The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court’s primary judicial duties under Article VI § 5 of the Arizona Constitution are to review appeals and to provide rules of procedure for all the courts in Arizona. It is the highest court in Arizona and is often called the court of last resort.

The Supreme Court has discretionary jurisdiction, meaning that the court may refuse to review the findings of the lower court. The Supreme Court automatically reviews every case in which a defendant has been sentenced to death.

Supreme Court Justices
The Supreme Court has seven justices initially appointed to office by the Governor and subject to retention election for regular terms of six years. One justice is selected by fellow justices to serve as Chief Justice for a five-year term. Besides handling case work like the other justices, the Chief Justice oversees the administrative operations of all Arizona courts.

The Supreme Court:

     •  May choose to review a Court of Appeals decision when a party (the plaintiff or the defendant in the original case) files a petition for review. 
     •  Always hears the appeal when the superior court imposes a death sentence. 
     •  Regulates activities of the State Bar of Arizona and oversees admission of new attorneys to the practice of law. 
     •  Reviews charges of misconduct against attorneys and has the authority to suspend or disbar them. 
     •  Serves as the final decision-making body when disciplinary recommendations are filed against Arizona judges by the Commission on Judicial Conduct.

The Court’s Role in the Impeachment Process
 Impeachment is a political process designed to deal with public officials accused of committing high crimes, misdemeanors, or misconduct in office. The person is charged, tried, and, if convicted, removed from office.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over Senate impeachment trials, but renders no decision as to the guilt or innocence of the public official on trial. The Arizona House of Representatives, by a majority vote, initiates formal charges for an impeachable offense. Conviction for the impeachable offense requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate. If convicted, a public officer is removed from office.  The Supreme Court’s role in the impeachment process is set out in Article VIII, Part 2, § 1 of the Arizona Constitution.

Court Personnel
The Arizona Constitution authorizes the Supreme Court to appoint a clerk of the court and assistants. According to A.R.S. § 12-202, the clerk must attend sessions of the court; issue legal paperwork; enter all court orders, judgments and decrees; keep other books of record, and perform other duties as required by law or the court. The clerk’s office maintains the court’s official files and assists in scheduling matters for decisions and oral arguments. The clerk’s office is also responsible for publishing and distributing the court’s written opinions.

Supreme Court Justice Qualifications
A Supreme Court justice:

     • Must be admitted to the practice of law in Arizona and be an Arizona resident for the ten years immediately before taking office; 
     • May not practice law while a member of the judiciary; 
     • May not hold any other political office or public employment; 
     • May not hold office in any political party; 
     • May not campaign, except for himself or herself, and  
     • Must retire at age 70.

What is one of the major roles appellate courts play in the federal judiciary quizlet?

What is one of the major roles district courts play in the federal judiciary?

What is the role of the federal courts quizlet?