U.S. Government and Court Systems

Federal Government

Legislative Branch

(Congress)

Executive Branch

(President)

Judicial Branch

(Federal Courts)

State Government

Legislative Branch

(Congress)

Executive Branch

(Governor)

Judicial Branch

(State Courts)

Separation of Powers - checks and balances keeps each branch from becoming too powerful

Federalism - both pass authority over citizens, and jurisdictions can operate exclusively or cooperatively to keep the federal government from being too powerful, while also still being superior to the states

State High Courts

(Supreme Courts)

Intermediate Appellate

Inferior Courts

Trial Courts

U.S. District Courts

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Courts of Appeal

habeus corpus

habeus corpus