State Courts

State Courts Responsible for interpreting state laws and for punishing those who break them Federal and state courts handle both criminal and civil cases Criminal- violations of the law that harm individuals or the community Civil- deal with disputes between individuals, businesses, and the government Usually focus on property or money In civil cases, people who file the complaint, or lawsuit, are referred to as the plaintiff

Lower Courts Generally hear minor cases (misdemeanors, civil cases involving small amounts of money) In smaller towns/rural areas these courts are presided over by a justice of the peace Larger cities have municipal courts- divided into smaller courts that deal with specific types of cases Traffic violations, family-relations, etc. etc. Judges in the lower courts usually make decisions without a jury In some courts, lawyers are not necessary- people involved explain their case to the judge and the judge makes a decision

General Trial Courts Major criminal and civil cases heard by a jury and presided over by an elected judge Some trial courts hear only criminal or civil cases Sometimes referred to as district courts

Appeals Courts Determine if the right to a fair trial was violated in the lower court No juries- group of judges reviews the decisions/records of the lower court and hears arguments from the lawyers Determine if the accused person got a fair trial If the accused person disagrees with the appeals court, he/she can appeal the case further to the state supreme court

State Supreme Court Highest court in most states Hears appeals much like the U.S. Supreme Court Supreme court justices are either elected or appointed in some states Decisions of state supreme courts are final

Overcrowded Courts State courts are often too overburdened with cases Some cases take years to hear Jails are overcrowded with accused persons awaiting trial Don’t have money to post bail and there are many other cases ahead of theirs on the court schedule Backlog of cases makes it impossible to guarantee the Constitutional right to a speedy trial

Overcrowded Courts Three major reasons: More cases than ever before and not enough judges Trials are long and slow Some courts not run efficiently Judges call frequent recesses or lawyers use delaying tactics Some courts need to upgrade their equipment with new technologies to speed up process Improvements to the speed and efficiency of the state courts is a serious concern for all U.S. citizens

? What is the responsibility of state courts? What is the difference between criminal and civil cases? What are municipal courts? What are the highest courts in the states? What are the three major reasons that state courts are so far behind in their caseloads?