| Grand Juries |
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| A grand jury's primary function is to listen to the evidence presented by the prosecutor and decide if someone should be indicted for a crime. The Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution provides that all federal criminal charges must be brought by a grand jury indictment. About half the states use grand juries. The grand jury also has broad power to investigate crimes. Some states permit grand juries to investigate corruption, organized crime, and the alleged misconduct of public officials. An investigative grand jury has the power to subpoena witnesses. More... |
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| Discretionary Review of a State Court Decision |
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| Generally, a litigant can file an appeal of a state trial court's final decision as a matter of right. The appeal is filed with the intermediate appellate court of the state. There is a distinction between mandatory review by the court of appeals and discretionary review by the state's highest court. A litigant is not entitled to a second appeal as of right to the supreme court. More... |
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| Damages in Civil Litigation |
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| If a person experiences a wrong, injury, or loss due to the actions of another, the injured person may file a civil lawsuit against the offending party. If the injured person proves his/her case, the court will award damages. Damages mean a monetary award to the injured person. This article discusses the various types of damages available in civil lawsuits. More... |
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| The Jurisdiction of a Federal Court |
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| Jurisdiction refers to the authority of a court to hear and decide a case. A federal court's authority to hear a specific case comes from the United States Constitution and federal laws. It is necessary for a federal court to have both subject matter jurisdiction (power over the legal matter involved in the case) and personal jurisdiction (power over the parties to the lawsuit) for the court to make a legally valid decision in a case. More... |
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| Interpreters in the Courtroom |
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| The judge has discretion in deciding whether to appoint a court interpreter. If appointed, the interpreter is considered an officer of the court, subject to certain ethical duties relating to the interpreter's conduct. A court interpreter's job is to translate accurately for a litigant (a party to a court proceeding) everything that occurs in the proceeding. Court interpreters also make it possible to take evidence from a non-English speaking witness.
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