Challenges to a lower court's decission
Appeal
Court's whose responsibility is to review decisions by lower courts
Appellate
Presiding Justice over the Supreme Court
Chief Justice
Circuit
An area under the jurisdiction of the court of appeals
Division
branch of government responsible for interpreting the law
Judicial Branch
Geographic or tropical area that a court is responsible for
Jurisdiction
a court whose jurisdiction covers only a specific type of case
Limited Jurisdiction
A court with the power to issue warrants and try minor criminal cases.
Magistrate Court
court with the power to rule on wills and estates traffic violations, violations of game and fish laws, grant marriage and firearm license, and appoint legal guardians
Probate court
court responsible for ruling in misdemeanor cases, preliminary felony case hearings, civil cases, and can issue search warrants
State court
– court responsible for hearing civil and criminal trials, divorce cases, and land titles.
Superior court
– court responsible for reviewing decisions made in civil or criminal cases, determining the constitutionality of laws, changes to elections, and death sentences
Supreme court
court that reviews civil and criminal cases that have been previously heard by trial courts
Court of Appeals
– members of the Supreme Court; on the Supreme Court of Georgia, justices hold six-year terms and are selected by popular vote
Justices
– deals with laws created to deal with relationships amongst individuals.
Civil law
serious offenses that are punishable with fines, community service, prison, and sometimes death
Crimes
deals with laws that are created to protect society from wrongdoers.
criminal law
a civil wrong against an individual
Tort
– a step in the criminal court pretrial process where the suspect is brought before a superior court judge to enter a plea.
Arraigned