Federal and State Court Systems

•  In the United States, the courts are charged with interpreting and enforcing the law. They carry out these responsibilities by deciding cases (rendering a decision). 

•  The United States has two court systems: the federal court system and the state and local court system; at both the federal and the state levels, there are civil and criminal courts. 

•  Each state court system includes lower-level trial courts with various degrees of original jurisdiction and an appellate court of final resort (the highest court in the state). 

•  Courts of special interest in the state system include (1) small claims court, a local court established to provide a fast, nontechnical, inexpensive hearing on a claim; (2) drug court, generally a local court that handles drug-related crimes; mental health court created in many jurisdictions to deal with mentally ill people who become involved in the criminal justice system and are incarcerated.

•  The federal court system established under the U.S. Constitution provides for the U.S. Supreme Court (the highest court in the land) and lower courts established by Congress as deemed necessary. Under this authority, Congress has established U.S. District Courts (trial courts), U.S. Courts of Appeals, and special federal courts. 

•  The attorney, the paralegal, the judge, and the jury play key roles in helping the courts to function smoothly.
 

•  The constitutional system on which our system is based includes these principles: separation of powers, judicial review, accommodation of interests and litigation, and the Bill of Rights.