Specialized courts in the criminal justice system

U.S. Court of Appeals was designed to facilitate efficiency and integrity within U.S. District Courts as well as to act as a check and balance system against these courts. Without the Court of Appeals, the district courts would be less effective and less able to adequately serve the American population in a way that guarantees due process in a timely manner.

Introduction to Court of Appeals

What is it?

Examples of Relevant Rulings affecting Politics/Laws

How does it work?

Legal framework within society?

Why does this court exist (what function)

Functionality as a product of appeals (Evidence)

(a) Keeping appeals out of district courts

Efficiency

Right to Appeal

(b) Allowing for an outlet for appeals

(c) Allow for patent law discussion/changes

(d) Constitute important means of deciding Constitutional Law

Other Courts that the Court of Appeals has Jurisdiction Over

Patent Laws

Court of International Trade

Federal Claims Court

4) Impact on Law, Politics

a) Court of Appeals as Policy Makers

b) Record of Policy-Making

5) Conclusion

a) Restate Thesis and Briefly restate Arguments

Evidence

The Court of Appeals has had a powerful mandate to unify patent law. Also, the court allows for an outlet to help decide important cases relative to Constitutional laws and regulations and are therefore powerful policy makers in their own right. The U.S. Court of Appeals acts to change political and public policy just as much as any other mechanism for change within the U.S. democratic framework of government.

Annotated Bibliography

Giles, Michael W., Hettinger, Virginia A., Zorn, Christopher, and Peppers, Todd

C. "The Etiology of the Occurrence of En Banc Review in the U.S. Court of Appeals." American Journal of Political Science. Vol. 51, 3. July, 2007. Pp. 449-463.

Helps to break down the major decisions that have affected public policy. Also an excellent resource for court jurisdiction information.

Henry, Matthew and Turner, John L., "The Court of Appeals for the Federal

Circuit's Impact on Patent Litigation." American Law Review. Vol. 55, 1. February 2005. Pp. 332-342.

This outlines the impact of the courts on the patent and patent law environment. A great source of information on patent law history and its political and legal impact.

Kaheny, Erin B., Haire, Susan Brodie, and Benesh, Sara C. "Change over

Tenure: Voting, Variance, and Decision Making on the U.S. Courts of Appeals." American Journal of Political Science. Vol. 52, 3. July 2008. Pp.490-503.

A history of the records of voting by judges and the policy making decisions and rulings that have helped shape Constitutional law and the way in which the Constitution is interpreted, implemented, and understood.

Miller, Banks and Curry, Brett. "Expertise, Experience, and Ideology on Specialized Courts: The Case of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit." Law and Society Review. Vol. 43, 4. December 2009. Pp. 839-864.