Jurisprudence and legal issues 383or an en banc hearing can be requested, or an appeal to the U.S. Supreme
Court can be made. The U.S. Supreme Court accepts fewer than two hundred
appeals annually from across the nation.16.1.3.3 The U.S. Constitution
As stated above, the U.S. Constitution embodies the supreme law of this
country. Each state has at the heart of its law a state constitution that can
grant further rights to its citizens beyond those established in the U.S.
Constitution but cannot reduce the rights granted by the U.S. Constitution.
Who then is to decide questions of law within a state, between citizens of
differing states, and any conflicts that might require a balancing of constitu-
tionally guaranteed rights between the United States and a state constitution?
In essence, matters involving the constitution, statutes, and regulations from
a state or a political subdivision of that state affecting a citizen or citizens
of that state (including crimes committed by anyone within that state) are
resolved in the state court system. Similarly, cases involving federal criminal
or other statutes and regulations (federal income tax, for example) are heard
entirely within the federal court system. Civil matters involving citizens of
different states may be heard entirely in the federal system, as well as matters
that involve two or more state governments, or cases that involve disputes
with federal agencies. Additionally, federal courts may hear cases alleged to
involve a “federal question,” usually an allegation that a right guaranteed
by the U.S. Constitution has been abridged. Although the federal courts
can remand cases that are brought into their system back to state courts for
definitive action, cases usually remain in federal court. Oftentimes the final
disposition of a state criminal case is decided by the actions of a federal court
relative to whether or not the accused received a fair trial in accordance with
the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
16.1.4 Court Decision Reporting Systems
Over the years, the legal system has devised a useful shorthand method
to reference the decisions of the various appeals courts. Prior to the wide-
spread use of electronic documents, each appellate jurisdiction or each
state judiciary would publish printed volumes containing the verbatim
written decisions handed down. Over the years, the number of individ-
ual volumes was reduced as courts and even states banded together with
commercial publishing firms to complete this important task. Today, most
appellate decisions are posted on the various courts’ own websites on the
day of decision. However, the decisions are also “published” electronically
in various media for distribution to law libraries, attorneys, and commer-
cial publishers. An ability to interpret the shorthand will not only allow an
individual access to the decision, but also impart knowledge as to which