Court System Structure I

Court System Structure I Name School

Court System Structure I

First, cases start in trial court. At this stage the court is interested in the facts of the case. This is where a person pleads guilty or not guilty. Once the case is over if there is an appeal made, then it will go to the appellate court where a judge will decide if the case should be reversed and remanded. These judges do not decide whether the defendant is innocent or guilty. There are there to decide whether any errors were made in the case on the part of the court. Federal courts deal with laws that broken that violate federal law and state courts deal with laws that were broken that violate any state law. There are some laws that are broken that violate state and federal laws. When this happens the federal and state prosecutor will get together and decide who will try the case. State courts can include lower courts, trial courts, appellate courts, and state court. Federal courts include district courts, U.S courts of appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. State judges are usually elected while federal judges are usually appointed by the president and the Senate. Federal judges can remain in office for a lifetime. Once cases reach a federal level they begin with the U.S district court. A judge and jury will decide guilt or innocence. Then there is the U.S Court of appeals which consists of twelve circuits that hear appeals from the district courts. If further appeals are made, then the case will go to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court makes policies through judicial review and helps with interpreting the law. The Supreme Court will determine whether laws are unconstitutional through judicial review. It is very rare that a case will make it to the Supreme Court. Just because someone wants a case to enter the Supreme Court does not mean that it will. The Supreme Court will decide. At least four justices have to approve of the case entering the Supreme Court. If the justices do not feel the case addresses an important federal law or constitutional issue, they will vote to deny the writ of certiorari (Inside Criminal Law, 2007). The Supreme Court will not hear any evidence. Only oral arguments are accepted and then the court will decide, in private.

Court System Structure I

References Axia College of University of Phoenix. (2007). Inside Criminal Law. Retrieved April 29, 2009 from Axia College, Week Five reading, aXcess, CJS220Foundations of the Criminal Justice System Course Web site.