05 May Comparative Law: US Territorial Structure vs. Spain Territorial Structure
U.S. Legal System – Federal, State, and Local Structure
(Spanish and English versions below) | (Versiones en español e inglés a continuación)
A legal system that is over 200 years old has not aged much in its structure since its creation. The U.S. Constitution delegates powers to the federal government—national government—and what powers are not delegated to the federal government are left with the states. Currently, 50 states and five territories comprise the United States of America.[1] The U.S. Constitution established three branches of government under the federal system: legislative, executive, and judicial. Like the federal system of government, all 50 states have their own state constitution, state and local legislation, executive branch, and judiciary.
Federal Legislative System
The legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and Senate, known collectively as the Congress. Article I of the U.S. Constitution establishes the legislative branch and powers vested in Congress.
In simple terms, Congress creates federal law. To do so, a representative must first sponsor a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study.[2] If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated, or amended.[3] If the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), the bill moves to the Senate.[4] In the Senate, the bill is assigned to another committee and, if released, debated and voted on.[5] A simple majority (51 of 100) passes the bill.[6] Finally, a conference committee made of House and Senate members works out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.[7] The resulting bill returns to the House and Senate for final approval. The President has 10 days to sign or veto the enrolled bill.
Federal Executive System
The U.S. Constitution Article II establishes the executive power granted to the president of the United States, the president’s executive authority in relations to foreign countries and domestic appointments, and impeachment.
Federal Court System
The U.S. Constitution established the judicial branch and specified its authority over federal courts. The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. Within the federal court system, there are 94 district level trial courts and 13 courts of appeals that sit below the Supreme Court. The federal district courts are organized into 12 regional circuits. Federal courts have jurisdiction over cases (1) involving a federal question (law); (2) disputes between states; (3) disputes involving a state or citizen and foreign government or persons; (4) where U.S. is a party; and (5) citizens of different states.
State Government
Each of the 50 States has its own constitution. The state legislative system is similarly structured to that of the federal government. The executive branch is managed by the Governor with the authority as granted by the respective state constitution and applicable state laws. As to the State court system, each state is free to organize its courts as it needs; therefore, state courts are structured differently throughout the United States. All state courts are not unilaterally named across the country—state court names vary from state-to-state. Generally, state courts apply the laws in accordance with their state’s constitution, statutes, and binding decisions of courts within their state court hierarchy. Each state also has a highest court for appeals, a state supreme court.
It is interesting to note that for a very long time, starting in 1855 in Massachusetts, attorneys are required to take a written (nowadays submission through laptop is also available) examination (i.e., “bar”) in the state in which they wanted to practice law. For example, an attorney who took the Illinois bar and passed it could not practice law in New York and this was the practice throughout all 50 states. In February of 2011, Missouri and North Dakota became the first states to administer the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE)[8]. Today, a majority of the states, including Illinois and New York, are now part of the UBE, which generally means everyone taking all portions of the UBE in a UBE jurisdiction are taking the same exam and may transfer his or her score to another UBE jurisdiction for a fee and possibly other requirements (i.e., taking a free state-specific course) without having to retake a full, state-specific bar exam in another state.
Local Government
Similar to the federal and state structures, local governments also have a legislative, executive and judicial system. The local system can be in the form of counties and municipalities/towns/villages. For example, in the State of Florida, there are 67 counties and within the 67 counties there are over 400 local municipalities/towns/villages. Additionally, the Florida court system of the State of Florida is comprised of the Florida Supreme Court, 5 district courts of appeal, 20 circuit courts, and 67 county courts.
In local governments you can have either a manager form of government or a strong mayor form of government. For example, in the City of Miami, there is a Mayor who serves as the head figure for Miami but is not the administrator. The administrator or manager is the individual who runs the day-to-day government at the City of Miami. While the Mayor is elected by the residents of Miami, the City Manager for Miami is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Commission. On the other hand, the City of Hialeah, has a strong-mayor form of government which means that the Mayor, who is elected by the residents, serves both as the head figure and administrator for the City of Hialeah.
Sistema legal de los EE. UU: Estructura federal, estatal y local
Un sistema legal que tiene más de 200 años no ha envejecido mucho en su estructura desde su creación. La Constitución de los Estados Unidos delega poderes al gobierno federal (gobierno nacional) y los poderes que no se delegan al gobierno federal se dejan en los estados. Actualmente, 50 estados y cinco territorios comprenden los Estados Unidos de América. La Constitución de los Estados Unidos estableció tres poderes del gobierno bajo el sistema federal: legislativo, ejecutivo y judicial. Al igual que el sistema federal de gobierno, los 50 estados tienen su propia constitución estatal, legislación estatal y local, rama ejecutiva y rama judicial.
El Sistema Legislativo Federal
El poder legislativo está integrado por la Cámara de Representantes y el Senado, conocidos colectivamente como el Congreso. El artículo I de la Constitución de los Estados Unidos establece el poder legislativo y los poderes conferidos al Congreso.
En términos simples, el Congreso crea la ley federal. Para hacerlo, un representante primero debe patrocinar un proyecto de ley. Luego, el proyecto de ley se asigna a un comité para su estudio. Si el comité lo publica, el proyecto de ley se coloca en un calendario para ser votado, debatido o enmendado. Si el proyecto de ley se aprueba por mayoría simple (218 de 435), el proyecto de ley pasa al Senado. En el Senado, el proyecto de ley se asigna a otro comité y, si se publica, se debate y se vota. Una mayoría simple (51 de 100) aprueba el proyecto de ley. Finalmente, un comité de conferencia compuesto por miembros de la Cámara y el Senado resuelve cualquier diferencia entre las versiones del proyecto de ley de la Cámara y el Senado. El proyecto de ley resultante regresa a la Cámara y al Senado para su aprobación final. El presidente tiene 10 días para firmar o vetar el proyecto de ley inscrito.
El Sistema Ejecutivo Federal
El Artículo II de la Constitución de los Estados Unidos establece el poder ejecutivo otorgado al presidente de los Estados Unidos, la autoridad ejecutiva del presidente en las relaciones con países extranjeros y nombramientos domésticos, y el juicio político.
El Sistema Judicial Federal
La Constitución de los Estados Unidos estableció el poder judicial y especificó su autoridad sobre los tribunales federales. La Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos es la corte más alta de los Estados Unidos. Dentro del sistema judicial federal, hay 94 tribunales de primera instancia a nivel de distrito y 13 tribunales de apelaciones que se encuentran por debajo del Tribunal Supremo. Los tribunales de distrito federal están organizados en 12 circuitos regionales. Los tribunales federales tienen jurisdicción sobre los casos (1) que involucran una cuestión federal (ley); (2) disputas entre estados; (3) disputas que involucren a un estado o ciudadano y un gobierno o personas extranjeras; (4) donde EE. UU. Es parte; y (5) ciudadanos de diferentes estados.
Gobierno Estatal
Cada uno de los 50 estados tiene su propia constitución que gobierna el estado en particular. El sistema legislativo tiene una estructura similar a la del gobierno federal. El poder ejecutivo es administrado por el Gobernador con la autoridad delineada en la constitución estatal respectiva y las leyes estatales aplicables. En cuanto al sistema de tribunales estatales, cada estado es libre de organizar sus tribunales según sus necesidades; por lo tanto, los tribunales estatales están estructurados de manera diferente en los Estados Unidos. No todos los tribunales estatales se nombran unilateralmente en todo el país; los nombres de los tribunales estatales de distrito y de apelación varían según el estado. Generalmente, los tribunales estatales aplican las leyes de acuerdo con la constitución, los estatutos y las decisiones vinculantes de los tribunales de su estado dentro de la jerarquía de los tribunales estatales. Cada estado también tiene un tribunal superior de apelaciones, un tribunal supremo estatal.
Es interesante notar que durante mucho tiempo, a partir de 1855 en Massachusetts, los abogados tuvieron que realizar un examen escrito (es decir, “barra”) en el estado en el que querían ejercer la abogacía. Por ejemplo, un abogado que tomó el colegio de abogados de Florida y lo aprobó no podía ejercer la abogacía en Nueva York y esta era la práctica en los 50 estados. En febrero de 2011, Missouri y Dakota del Norte se convirtieron en los primeros estados en administrar el Examen Uniforme de Abogados (UBE). Hoy en día, la mayoría de los estados ahora son parte de la UBE, lo que generalmente significa que todos los que toman todas las partes de la UBE en una jurisdicción de la UBE están tomando el mismo examen y pueden transferir su puntaje a otra jurisdicción de la UBE por una tarifa y posiblemente otros requisitos. (es decir, tomar un curso gratuito específico del estado), sin tener que volver a tomar un examen de barra completo y específico del estado en otro estado.
Gobierno Local
Al igual que las estructuras federal y estatal, los gobiernos locales también tienen un sistema legislativo, ejecutivo y judicial. El sistema local puede adoptar la forma de condados y municipios / pueblos u aldeas. Por ejemplo, en el estado de Florida, hay 67 condados y dentro de los 67 condados hay más de 400 municipios / pueblos u aldeas locales. Además, el sistema judicial del estado de Florida está compuesto por la Corte Suprema de Florida, 5 tribunales de apelación de distrito, 20 tribunales de circuito y 67 tribunales de condado.
Los gobiernos locales, pueden tener una forma de gobierno de gerente o una forma de gobierno de alcalde fuerte. Por ejemplo, en la ciudad de Miami, hay un alcalde que se desempeña como figura principal de Miami pero no es el administrador. El administrador o gerente es la persona que dirige el gobierno cotidiano en la Ciudad de Miami. Mientras que el alcalde es elegido por los residentes de Miami, el administrador de la ciudad de Miami es designado por el alcalde y confirmado por la Comisión de la Ciudad. Por otro lado, la ciudad de Hialeah tiene una forma de gobierno de alcalde fuerte, lo que significa que el alcalde, que es elegido por los residentes, actúa tanto como la figura principal como como administrador de la ciudad de Hialeah.
Deanna Shahnami
Deanna Shahnami is IMLA’s Associate Counsel, where she oversees the firm’s distance learning programming as well as participating in IMLA’s amicus activities and contributing legal analyses to Municipal Lawyer and eNews. Prior to joining IMLA, Ms. Shahnami worked in the office of counsel for a telecommunications consulting firm. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and earned her Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law. Ms. Shahnami is admitted to practice in Florida and Illinois.
Elsa I. Jaramillo-Velez
Elsa I. Jaramillo-Velez has been working in the public sector for over 20 years. Currently, Mrs. Jaramillo-Velez is an Assistant City Attorney at the City of Hialeah Law Department specializing in labor and employment. Prior to her current position, she was the Director of Human Resources and Risk Management at the City of North Miami Beach. Prior to joining the City of North Miami Beach, she served for nearly 7 years as the Director of Human Resources at the City of Coral Gables. Mrs. Jaramillo-Velez also worked at the City of Miami as the Interim Director/Deputy Director in the Department of Employee Relations. While at the City of Miami (serving over 10 years), Mrs. Jaramillo-Velez also served as an Assistant City Attorney in the City Attorney’s Office assigned to the Employment & Land Use Divisions.
In her capacity as an Attorney and Human Resources professional, she works closely with the Mayor or City Manager regarding all aspects of labor and employment/personnel matters. She serves as the City’s representative before the Civil Service Board and before arbitrators handling employment disciplines and grievances. She has also served as counsel for various boards/committees, including the Coral Gables Retirement/Pension Board and the City of Miami Coconut Grove Business Improvement Committee, the Historic Environmental Preservation Board, the Plat & Street Committee and the Urban Development & Review Board.
Mrs. Jaramillo-Velez has a law degree from the University of Florida, College of Law, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Florida International University. She is a member in good standing of the Florida Bar. She also served from 2013-2019 as an adjunct professor at FIU, teaching Human Resources Management & Policy in the MPA Program as well as Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector in the EMPA Program. Currently, Mrs. Jaramillo-Velez is a member of IMLA and serves as a member of the FIU MPA Advisory Board.
[1] Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. [Library of Congress, Law Library]
[2] The Legislative Process, United States House of Representatives, https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained/the-legislative-process.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
[8] National Conference of Bar Examiners, Jurisdictions That Have Adopted the UBE, https://www.ncbex.org/exams/ube/ (last visited April 5, 2021).