Court History

Court History and Purpose

Dona Eisenbart

CJA/224

April 20, 2012

Michael Kern

Court History and Purpose

Court systems are important elements in the American justice system. This paper will provide a description of what the purposes of the courts are as well as define what a duel court system is. Also included in this paper will be the history of the early development of the legal code and the adoption of the common law and precedent and what role each plays in the court system today.

Courts are defined in the readings as” an agency or unit of the judicial branch of government, authorized or established by statute or Constitution, and consisting of one or more judicial officers, which has the authority to decide upon cases, controversies in law, and disputed matters of fact brought before it” (Siegal, Schmalleger, & Worrall, 2011, p. 4). The main purpose of a court is to hear, find, and determine the facts of a case. The American judicial system has broken down the court system into four levels, Federal Court, State Court, Juvenile Court, and Specialized Court, each serving its own purpose in criminal justice. Looking at the duel court system and how it separates the federal and state courts, one can see how important this system has become. Although this system is desirable on the federalism level, it also has its complications, that there are federal laws that overlap with state laws causes some issues in regards to which courts will oversee the case. An example of this would be a case involving firearms, as this is both a federal, and in some states, a violation (Siegal, Schmalleger, & Worrall, 2011).

Some of the roles of the court system include upholding the law, courts are not only authorized by the law but also to uphold the laws they implement. The courts are also put in place to protect individuals, including freedom, and liberties. Another aspect of the court system is the duty of resolving disputes in both criminal and civil matters,...