online sources for information on U.S. federal, state judicial systems

Civics quiz: How much do your incoming students know about the federal and state judicial systems of the United States?

While some professors have sought teaching materials to offer foreign students coming to study law in America, such materials are probably also valuable to provide to students born and raised here, whether during law school orientation or during the first few weeks of class. The following links provide useful--and free--information on our courts:

• The Federal Judicial Center, http://www.fjc.gov/federal/courts.nsf
• Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, “Understanding the Federal Courts” (available in HTML or downloadable as a PDF), http://www.uscourts.gov/understand03/
• For state court systems, see what's been described as a "graphic novel" (i.e., information delivered for visual learners) developed by the National Center for the State Courts, http://www.ncsconline.org/D_Comm/Images/justice_case_files_01_preview.pdf

hat tips: John Mollenkamp and Barbara G. Traub

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