Chapter 9 Flashcards
Dual courts
There are separate federal and state courts
Where are most cases heard local state or federal
most cases are heard in state courts (10 times the amount of federal courts)
Jurisdiction definition
geographical or legal territory which control may be exercised (range of courts authority)
Case loads of state courts
large caseloads(most crimes are defined by state laws and they handle misdemeanors and lesser offenses)
What type of structure do US courts use
federal level; district (trial) courts, circuit court of appeals (level one appeals), U.S. Supreme Court(final authority for appeals). state level; trial courts of limited jurisdiction (misdemeanors, preliminary matter for felony, and felony below a specified limit), trial courts of general jurisdiction (jurisdiction over all offenses even felonies some hear appeals), intermediate court of appeals (first level appeals), appellate court of last resort(state supreme court, final place you can appeal to within a state court), The Supreme Court(final place to appeal to)
American legal setup
highly decentralized as local officials determine community values, and resources, and community make up staff
Who can be a judge
Anyone can be a judge as long as they have attended law school
Qualifications of a judge
judges must make impartial decisions while being fair and thoughtful in their decisions. They must be able to remain in control of their courtroom, and maintain a level head while working with political actors and maintaining a courthouse or court room. While being an adjudicator, negotiator, and administrator
What is the criteria used to determine if evidence is strong enough
for evidence to be strong enough is that it must be true, relevant, come from a reliable source, and establish probable cause that a crime was committed and is worth pursuing to trial
What is Probable cause
a reasonable belief known personally or through reliable sources that a crime has been committed
Can a prosecutor and or a defense attorney bring pretrial motions into a court proceeding
Both prosecutors (disagree with the defense on how and if witnesses will be questioned) and defense attorneys (suppress evidence or learn about the prosecutor’s case. Must support the claim about improper procedures in arrest, insufficiency of evidence, need to exclude evidence) can bring pretrial motions into a court proceeding.
The 8th amendment
no cruel or unusual punishments and no excessive bail or fines.
If someone is given life in prison and or the death penalty will bail be denied
If the offense is one of violence or one punishable by death or life imprisonment bail will be denied because releasing them would endanger the community and they will be placed in pretrial detention-held in jail until the case is completed.
What happens if you can’t make bail
If you can’t make bail, you can request the help of a bail bondsman-private business people who loan money to defendants who lack the money to make bail. In exchange for a 5-10% of the bail amount, bondsmen put up the money/ property to gain defendants’ release, though they won’t help everyone, just those who seem likely to return for trial. If you can’t make bail even after seeking the help of a bondsman you will have to remain in jail until your trial.
What types of cases are heard in federal court
felonies mostly kidnapping, smuggling, drug trafficking, terrorism. So violations of the constitution and federal laws
What are the three levels of state courts
(district court)trial courts of limited
jurisdiction, (superior courts) trial courts of general jurisdiction, (Supreme Court of appeals) appellate courts.
What is the main purpose of a drug court
Instead of sending substance abusers straight to jail or prison they are sent to rehab and counseling to help them while their progress is monitored
What is the responsibility of a judge
The responsibility of a judge is to be an adjudicator, negotiator, and administrator.
Inquisitorial and adversarial court difference
inquisitorial system-used in England where the judge takes an active role in questioning the witnesses and finding out the facts of the case. Adversarial system-used in the US where the judge acts as a referee watching and making sure that the prosecutor and defense attorney are following the law and ensuring that the defendants rights are protected.
