ABSTRACT
The United States of America is a constitution-based federal republic with a population of about 315 million (Statistica 2012). It consists of 50 states, each with its own court system. The federal court system is made up of 94 district courts, 12 courts of appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court, the latter being the nation’s highest judicial body. The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and any federal or state law that conflicts with the Constitution is invalid. In general, federal courts are limited to types of cases specified in the Constitution and federal statutes. Federal courts defer to state courts in their interpretation of state laws. When a party exhausts all remedies from the state’s highest appellate court, the U.S. Supreme Court may review the final decision of state courts. The law of the United States is largely derived from the common law system of English law, except in the state of Louisiana, where the basis is the French Napoleonic Code. Consumers are protected from false and unfair advertising practices by various local, state, and federal laws, as well as by self-regulating forces within the advertising and media industry.
