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precedents guiding priciples, for determining what is legal in future situations strict constructionists people who believe that laws and the Constitution should be interpreted strictly according to the wording they contain loose constructionists people who believe that the Constitution and other laws must be interpreted in light of current political and social conditions jurisdiction authority to interpret and administer the law original jurisdiction the authority to hear a case's initial trial district courts the trial courts of the federal system courts of appeals a court established to hear appeals of trial court cases circuit 13 U.S. courts of appeals, each of which covers a large judicial district appellate jurisdiction they have the power to review cases previously decided by lower courts briefs written legal arguements senatorial courtesy the traditional principle in making district court nominations writ of certiorari formal order from an appeals court that requires a lower court to provide the record of a case for review dockets calendar of cases amicus curiae briefs formal briefs that reflects a group's concerns regarding a court decision majority opinion reflects the views of the majority of the Court concurring opinion agrees with the majority outcome but disagrees with all or part of the grounds stated in the majority opinion dissenting opinion disagrees with the one reached by the majority and explains the grounds for the dissent stare decisis upholding precedents set by earlier courts judicial restraint a limited use of judicial power judicial activism those who support judicial intervention