Courts and adjudication

Topic

Courts and adjudication

Instructions

Do a 1-page chapter summary on Courts and adjudication.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the structure of the American court system.
2. Name the qualities that the public desires in a judge.
3. Describe the process by which American judges are selected.
4. Identify some of the roles of the prosecuting attorney.
5. Describe the role that the prosecutor’s discretion plays in the process for filing criminal charges.
6. Identify those with whom the prosecutor interacts in decision making.
7. Describe the day-to-day reality of criminal defense work in the United States.
8. List the methods for providing counsel for defendants who cannot afford a private attorney.
9. Describe the courtroom work group, and explain how it functions.

Answer preview

This chapter provides an insight on the functions and structures of the American courts, indicating that the United States has a dual court system. There is the adversary process that is utilized by both federal and state courts.  It further provides for the functions of the courts, which include dispute processing, norm enforcement and policy making. Secondly, there are the structures of the courts, whereby both state and federal court systems have appellate and trial courts. Nonetheless, the trial courts have both general and limited jurisdiction, while the appellate resolve dispute that came before them in the instance, where the parties are not contended with the decision of the lower court’s decision.

Word count: 311