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California’s Judicial System
Compare and contrast the federal judicial system with California’s judicial system in terms of how judges are selected, their length of service, and types of courts, and types of cases heard.
California’s Judicial System Answer (B)
Federal – Judges are appointed by the President and then confirmed by the US Senate
State of California – Judges are selected through appointments and elections
Judges are appointed by the governor without confirmation by the legislation
For higher courts, all judges’ names appear on the ballot.
Appeal court judges and supreme court judges are chosen through a 3-step process
California’s Judicial System Answer
Of all the US states, California hears the highest number of cases. It is estimated that around 7 million cases are filed in a California court annually (Fields, 2013, p.97). Because of this, it is interesting to know how the judicial system of the state works and how it differs from the federal system.
The first point of difference lies in how members of the judiciary are selected. For federal courts, judges are nominated by the President subject to confirmation by the US Senate.