Handout 1B: My Day in Court, But Which One?
Part I
A. A plaintiff is suing for damages resulting from a fall in the supermarket.
Which court should the plaintiff file in?
B. A trial judge did not supply a Russian-speaking defendant in a theft case
with an interpreter and the defendant is convicted. To which court should
the defendant appeal?
C. A defendant is charged with kidnapping a child and taking the child to five
different states. Where would the case be heard?
D. Several of the federal circuit courts of appeal are in disagreement over
whether a campaign finance reform law violates the First Amendment. What
is the only court that could decide to hear the case?
E. A landlord is suing a tenant for non-payment of rent. Which coult should
the landlord file in?
F. A federal judge in Denver ruled that the Federal Communications
Commission exceeded its authority in creating the “do not call" list. Which
court would hear the appeal?
G. A spouse sues for divorce. Which court should the spouse file in?
H. A defendant on death row has exhausted all his appeals except one. Which
court could decide to hear the case?
1. A judge forgot to give the jury an instruction about what constitutes negli-
gence in a car accident case and the jury does not find the defendant guilty.
Which court can the defendant appeal to?
J. A federal district court judge in San Francisco ruled that the federal
Violence against Women Act violates the equal protection clause of the U.S.
Constitution since it discriminates against male victims of domestic
violence. Where can the plaintiff appeal?
K. A man from Kansas is suing a restaurant in Alabama for $20,000 for serving
him spoiled meat while he was vacationing there. Where should he sue?