Lower Courts
What is the judge of a justice court called?
a justice of peace
True or False: all evidence is permissible in the court
false
These courts review decisions made by what type of courts?
trial courts
This is the court of last _____ ?
resort!
Who can appoint judges?
the governor
Less serious crimes are called? (ex, theft)
Misdemeanor
What is a major crime called? (ex, murder, drug, trafficking, etc)
felony
Do appeals courts have juries?
no
What type of vote is required for a successful appeal?
majority vote
Name the two types of popular vote elections?
partisan or nonpartisan
What type of case occurs when one person or group takes legal action against another person or group?
civil case
What is a judge's job?
ensure the trial is conducted fairly and lawfully
majority vote
What is one responsibility of the state supreme court?
- review decisions of appeals courts
- supervise all courts in the state
Judges can be appointed through a combination of _____ and _______ ?
appointment and popular election
What is the person or people being sued called?
Defendant
What is another name for a general trial court?
any of these: district court, county court, common pleas court, circuit court, superior court
If not a jury, who decides the case?
a panel of judges
What do the state supreme courts interpret?
state's constitution and/or laws
Most state courts are organized similar to the _____ _____ _______.
federal court system
These courts are divided into special areas such as traffic, juvenile, etc
Municipal
jury
If the judges discover that the defendant did not have a fair trial, they have the power to_______________?
overturn the lower courts decision
True or False: The decision of the state supreme court is final in ALL cases.
False, it is final in all cases except for those involving federal law or the United States constitution
Can judges be impeached?
yes