Branch of Government

Billy, a resident of Dallas, Texas, was having trouble
paying his bills. Billy, along with his best friend
Edward, decided that they would rob a bank in
neighboring Wichita Falls to raise some funds.
During the robbery, things went horribly wrong, and
Billy and Edward ended up taking a hostage and
driving to nearby Randlett, Oklahoma, where they
took refuge in Edward’s grandmother’s home. Both
Billy and Edward eventually were apprehended in
Randlett, and the hostage was released. Which court
would possess jurisdiction over this case-state or
federal? Explain your answer.
Newlyweds Malia and Kevin were honeymooning in
Hawaii. They were on their way to a Hawaiian luau
when they were rear-ended by a local resident who
lived in Honolulu. Malia and Kevin were both
hospitalized and required extensive surgery for back
and neck injuries. Malia and Kevin wish to sue the
local resident. Which court would possess
jurisdiction over their cases-state or federal?
Explain your answer.
• Jane recently discovered that she is pregnant. When
she shared the happy news with her coworkers at a
local law firm, everyone was overjoyed-especially
her good friend, Chiquita. Unfortunately, the very
next week, Jane was fired from her position, despite
receiving stellar annual reviews. Her supervisor said
that they were downsizing because they had lost a
big case. Jane believes that she was fired because
she is pregnant. Jane does not want to call any
attention to her firing, so she has decided not to do
anything about the firing; however, Jane’s friend
Chiquita, who is a paralegal, is furious with the
attorney. She has decided to file the case on behalf
of her friend, Jane. In what court would this case be
filed-state or federal? Would Chiquita face any
problems with filing the lawsuit? If so, what? Explain
your answer.

Identify the federal district in which you reside and
the specific district, such as the Northern District of
Alabama, the Middle District of Alabama, or the
Southern District of Alabama. (Texas)
Identify the branch of government that created
these lower courts.
Review the Web site for our local state circuit court
and your local federal. district court, and provide the
citation to each.

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