Federal and State Court Scenarios

Directions: Using the information from the Judicial Branch PowerPoint read the following scenarios and answer the following for each.

1. Is it a civil or criminal case?

1. Would it go to federal or state court?

1. If it is a state case, would it be heard in the trial court, an appeals court, or a State Supreme Court?

If it is a federal case, would it be heard in a district court, an appeals court, or the US Supreme Court?

Scenarios:

1. Congress just passed a law that raised the voting age to 25 because lawmakers think high school and college students are too immature to vote. I want to challenge this law because the 26th amendment says that everyone 18 and older can vote. What court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. I got a ticket for not stopping my car at a stop sign. I know I stopped! What court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. I own a restaurant, and tonight the chef got angry and trashed the kitchen! We have to close for a week and replace the equipment in the kitchen. This is going to cost me $123, 000. I want to sue the chef to get the money back. Which court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. The football coach at my public school said that I can't try out for the team because I am a girl. There is a federal law that says that schools that receive federal funding are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of sex. I know the coach is breaking the law. What court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. I am a longtime fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and my husband is a fan of the Carolina Panthers. This is a difference that we cannot resolve, and I need to get a divorce. Which court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. I own a Laundromat, and I'm being accused of using my business to clean up "dirty" money! The prosecutor says I violated a federal law that makes it a crime to run my business with money gained through a crime. I promise you the only thing that I clean is clothes! What court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. Last week, a truck driver drove his truck right into my living room. It will cost me $50,000 to rebuild my house and $27,000 for my therapy to recover from the shock. What court will hear my case to get the money from the trucker?

A.

B.

C.

1. I was found guilty of stealing a BMW from the car dealership in my town. My lawyer feels that I did not receive a fair trial because we were not able to call several witnesses to testify on my behalf. Which court will review my trial to determine if my constitutional rights were violated?

A.

B.

C.

1. I was camping in the woods with my friends; we fell asleep without putting the campfire out completely. The fire spread to a nearby house. The prosecutor thinks I might have set the fire on purpose! Now I have to go to trial for arson, which is a felony. Which court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. I was at a friend's house studying my favorite subject Civics, and I lost track of time. The police stopped me on my way home and gave me a curfew violation. I don't feel that I deserve this ticket. Which court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. My case on the violation of my 8th Amendment rights has been heard two times before, this is my final appeal. What court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. I am a foreign diplomat and I am involved in a lawsuit. Which court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. The police that searched me had an invalid signature on the search warrant and this fact was brought to light after my trial was over. My lawyer said we will have the case reviewed. What court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. I was given the death penalty for a case of armed robbery where I assaulted two people but no one died! My lawyer and I feel that this is excessive and we plan to appeal. What court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. Some friends of mine decided to skip our last class and we decided to go to the mall. One of the girls with us dared me to steal something and I did. When I got caught, the other girls bailed on me. Now I have to go to court. What court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. The state of North Carolina vs. the United States will be the next case on the docket in which court?

A.

B.

C.

1. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) gave our company a $250,000 fine for not having proper disposal of waste features at our business. We fixed the problem immediately after the initial inspection but we were still assessed the fine. We are now taking them to court. What court will hear my case?

A.

B.

C.

1. I was involved in a car accident and sued for $800,000. The jury sided with the defendant. My lawyer leaned over to me and said, "don't worry this isn't over yet." What court will hear my case now?

A.

B.

C.