The Jurisdiction and National Security Policy - Assignment Example

Distinguish between the jurisdiction of of California and the federal court system. “Jurisdiction refers to the kinds of cases a court is authorized to hear” (Find Law, 2011). Generally, State of California Courts have broader jurisdiction than the Federal Court System. To this effect, the State of California Court hears cases on issues involving robberies, family disputes, broken contracts and traffic violations. With limited types of cases that it can hear, The Federal Court hears cases that involve the United States as a party.

The jurisdiction of the Federal Court System also includes cases that violate the U.S Constitution or general federal laws. Some of these laws are on copyright, patent, bankruptcy and maritime law cases. Another area of difference with the jurisdiction of State of California and the Federal Court System is that whereas the State of California Court System is not mandated to hear cases in which one or both parties live outside California, the Federal Court System is allowed to hear cases between citizens of different States, especially with the amount in contention exceeds $75,000.

Finally, there are instances where both the State and Federal Courts have jurisdiction. In is case, the parties involved choose which of the two courts they would want to use. 2. Explain what national security policy is and identify the key policy-making actors in U.S foreign policy The National Security Policy is a guiding principle of strategic national security plan prepared on a periodic basis by the executive arm of the United States Government. The policy is made up of major national security issues and ways by which the Administration plans to handle them.

Though prepared by the Executive Arm of government, the National Security Policy is prepared for Congress. As the head of the executive arm of government responsible for preparing the national security policy, and as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, the President of the United States is the principal policy-making actor in the U.S foreign policy. Treaties and policies made are however consented by the Senate. This means that the Senate also acts as policy-making actors in U.S foreign policy.

Congress also has a responsibility of playing an oversight role in the foreign policy of the United States. Outside the presidency, Senate and Congress, there are other ‘indirect’ actors such as formal Heads of State, policy think tanks, and other non-governmental organizations who make imputs but by merely serving as critiques and analysts to policies made. REFERENCE LIST Find Law. Federal vs. State Courts - Key Differences, http://public.findlaw.com/library/legal-system/fcourts-vs-scourts.html. 2011, Internet.

28 March 2011