The state court system
State court systems vary from state to state, but most consist of trial courts of limited jurisdiction and trial courts of general jurisdiction; intermediate appellate courts; and the highest state courts. Most state court judges are elected or are appointed for a certain term (United States Courts, par. 13). The jurisdiction of state courts extends to cases that do not specifically fall within the jurisdiction of the federal courts. Examples of cases heard in state courts include issues involving family law, probate, traffic regulation, real property, contract law, tort and personal injury, and state criminal offenses.
For a more in-depth look at federal court system and state court systems, click here.
Additional resources for further exploration
Justice 101, from the U.S. Department of Justice United States Attorney’s Office, provides a legal terms glossary, an outline of steps taken in criminal justice cases, information on the federal courts system, and a courtroom image gallery which shows and explains the parts of a courtroom.
http://www.justice.gov/usao/justice101/
The United States Courts web site presents a list of landmark Supreme Court cases at the link below.
What was an ancient court of justice like? Visit the Ancient Greece for Kids web site and read the "The Court of Athens" to find out. The information at the following link also provides an outline of trial by jury in the United States for comparison.
http://greece.mrdonn.org/athenscourt.html
At the link below, "The Judicial Branch of Government" presents lesson plans for teachers, including "Scene of the Crime Literary Activities" and a Community Justice mini-unit, as well as games and activities for kids.
