October 2, 1967: Thurgood Marshall’s Supreme Court Legacy Begins

On October 2, 1967, Thurgood Marshall made history by becoming the first African American Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. His appointment by President Lyndon B. Johnson was a significant milestone in the nation’s ongoing struggle for racial equality. Marshall’s long career as a civil rights attorney, combined with his profound influence on…

Judicial Branch Overview

Article III of the US Constitution establishes the judicial branch. However, it only creates the Supreme Court and allows Congress to establish other courts that might be needed. One of the first acts of the Senate was the Federal Judiciary Act (1789), establishing the Judiciary that we know it today. This act included describing the…

Federal Judicial System

The judicial branch’s role is to interpret the laws, ensure that the laws are fairly enforced, and provide a means for resolving disputes between private parties or determining the guilt or innocence of individuals accused of crimes. The federal court system, created by Article III of the U.S. Constitution, includes the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts…

Role of Municipal Courts

City courts, also known as municipal courts, are lower-level courts that have jurisdiction over a specific city or municipality. They typically hear cases involving local ordinance violations, such as traffic violations, minor criminal offenses, and civil disputes that arise within the city. Some of the key responsibilities of city courts include: The specific powers and…

Dual Court System

The dual court system refers to the coexistence of two separate court systems in the United States: the federal and state court systems. While the federal court system has jurisdiction over cases that involve federal law, the state court system has jurisdiction over cases that involve state law. Most legal disputes in the U.S. arise…

The State Judicial Branch

The state judiciary is responsible for interpreting and applying state laws and the state constitution and for resolving legal disputes. The powers of a state judiciary generally include the authority to: It should be noted that the structure of state judiciary also varies from state to state; some states have a unified court system, while…