The federal government of the United States is a very complex job that is overseen by three different branches; the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. Each different branch serves all different functions, but work collaboratively to reflect the views of our United States Constitution. The federal government is designed to serve the people and ensure that the law is followed at all times. Throughout the semester, I have had the pleasure of witnessing how the Judicial branch of government works with my internship at the Rhode Island 6th District Courthouse on Dorrance street, in Providence, Rhode Island. My most recent court observation was on March 31st, 2016 and took place in courtroom 4C. I like being assigned to do court …show more content…
In one Pawtucket case, a seventy two year old woman was charged with fraud, larceny over $1500, forgery/counterfeiting, and carrying pistol without a license. The judge called her name early in the day and she was not present in the courtroom at the time. Due to her medical conditions and her public defender being present at the time, the judge did not issue a warrant for her arrest and allowed for her public to defender to make a phone call to her to find out where she is located. After a few hours went by, the woman finally showed up to the courtroom and she put on a very nice show for the judge. After being read all her charges, she chose to give a speech about the shirt she was wearing, which stated on it “Mr. Bin Laden, Your party is waiting for you are gate B32.” The elderly woman stated that she was wearing this shirt because this man killed members of her family and she believes it was the worst thing that has ever happened to her. I found it to be very off topic and out of the blue for her to give a speech about this and I do not think I will ever encounter another person like her in my entire life. The public defender even looked confused as to why she chose to even mention it all to the …show more content…
In just Providence, there were six different cases involving different incidents of domestic violence, but one stuck out the most to me. A young woman was arrested the night before for domestic assault against her boyfriend. The Providence police office read the facts to the court and I think most people in the courtroom were mind blown about this woman’s case. According to the Providence Police Department, the young woman took a slice of pizza out of the trash and shoved it down her boyfriend’s mouth, causing him to receive multiple cuts inside his mouth and choke on the pizza as he was forced to swallow it. This physical altercation took place after the couple had been screaming and yelling for over an hour about an issue irrelevant to the court. She was placed on a ten thousand dollar bond and a no contact order was issued between the two individuals. Out of all the cases I heard on this day, this one blew my mind because I had never heard of anything like this occurring before in my life. She was placed on a ten thousand dollar bond and a no contact order was issued between the two
It is simple to be confused by the federal court judges and their decisions and how they go about them and how they are in their position. Personally, I always thought they were elected by the Supreme Court or someone or something higher than them. But I was very surprised to know that they were appointed (assigned a job or role to). This leaves the judges from having to go through a process of campaigning and running against others. Although by being unelected officials it has both pros and cons. Pros being, that they are trusted enough to handle cases that go to this point and being able to make a decision under the law to better the society. Cons being, if a federal court judge makes any misdemeanor or crime they have the ability to be impeached
...09). Congress is supposed to enact laws, and the ability of judges to modify them with court decisions shows how their power may extend past what the system of checks and balances had intended. The last aspect that shows how powerful this branch may be is the judges. Originally, the lifetime appointment was supposed to relieve them of pressures when deciding cases, but this serves as a double edged sword. Judges without fear of retribution shows the amount of power that they posses. Overall, the development of judicial review, judges lifetime appointment, and ability to modify laws has led to an unbalance of power by the Judicial Branch among the three branches of government.
One day, I went to the superior court in Boston and to the District court. One of the cases that I observed at the Superior court was a case of assault and battery that happened at a train station on August 2014. an African American male who pushed a young male on a train track at South Station MBTA. During the court session, everyone gathered together to hear the assault and battery case that take place at the train station.
For the court observation assignment, I visited the Tolland County Courthouse. I went to court on Tuesday April 4th, 2017 from 11am to 12:30pm. The matters I observed in the courtroom regarded a restraining order from an ex-girlfriend to her ex-boyfriend. The details involved in the case included the welfare of their three-month-old baby and the custody battle.
USAID FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. (2005). Model Court Initiative Court Administration Reform Intervention Plan Annex 3.5 - Case Backlog Reduction/Purging Plans . Retrieved from http://www.usaidjsdp.ba/old_page/en/dokumenti/3%20Intervention%20Plan/Annex%203.5%20-%20Case%20Backlog%20Reduction%20Purging%20Plans.pdf
Throughout the years there has been limitless legal cases presented to the court systems. All cases are not the same. Some cases vary from decisions that are made by a single judge, while other cases decisions are made by a jury. As cases are presented they typically start off as disputes, misunderstandings, or failure to comply among other things. It is possible to settle some cases outside of the courts, but that does require understanding and cooperation by all parties involved. However, for those that are not so willing to settle out of court, they eventually visit the court system. The court system is not in existence to cause humiliation for anyone, but more so to offer a helping hand from a legal prospective. At the same time, the legal system is not to be abuse. or misused either.
The legislative, executive, and judicial branches represent the constitutional infrastructure foreseen by the Founding Fathers for our nation 's governing body. Together, they work to maintain a system of lawmaking and administration based on checks and balances, and separation of powers intended to make certain that no individual or embodiment of government ever becomes too controlling. America is governed by a democratic government or a democracy which is a government by the people, in which the power is established in the people themselves. The people then elect representatives who carry out their power in a free electoral system. The United States government’s basic claim is to serve the people and only through a combined effort can we
"Levels of the Federal Courts." The Judicial Learning Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2014. .
Judiciary as the Most Powerful Branch of Government In answering this question I will first paint a picture of the power that the court holds, and decide whether this is governmental power. Then I will outline the balances that the court must maintain in its decision making and therefore the checks on its actions as an institution that governs America. "Scarcely any political question arises that is not resolved sooner or later into a judicial question." (Alexis de Tocqueville Democracy in America) If we take Tocqueville on his word then the American Judiciary truly is in a powerful position.
The United States of America is one of the most powerful nation-states in the world today. The framers of the American Constitution spent a great deal of time and effort into making sure this power wasn’t too centralized in one aspect of the government. They created three branches of government to help maintain a checks and balance system. In this paper I will discuss these three branches, the legislative, the executive, and the judicial, for both the state and federal level.
The Supreme Court and Federal court have the same authority as in the Constitution. This system is called checks and balances which prevents the sole power of any one of the three branches. In addition, this power can be divided between the states and Federal government. The Federal government’s role in “domestic and foreign affairs and how they have grown” (Fe...
For my court ethnography I observed plea, bail, and family court in the city of Milton. However, it was called the Ontario superior court of justice. When I first entered a court it looked exactly like what I had seen in movies. The court setup, the vernacular used, and the customs of the court employees were exactly like what mainstream media has displayed to the public over the years. Entering the court, symbols of justice were exhibited everywhere in the courtroom. In the courtroom all kinds of cases were occurring, and people from all types of backgrounds were involved. Observing the inner workings of our justice system gave me invaluable insight on how law and order is preserved in our society. Furthermore, I also got to witness the specific
The United States government braces its power among three powerful branches, legislative, executive and judicial. These branches interact with one another to establish authority that is strong, yet equal to have power over the country. Each branch pursues certain responsibilities and duties to operate in an efficient and effective manner in which society upholds. The executive, legislative and judicial branches all interact amid each other to validate accuracy of the nation’s most powerful law of the land, the Constitution. It is important to know how these branches interact with each other to learn how a bill becomes a law. Reflecting on how the three branches promote a balance of power that is constructive to include the agendas and electoral roles that also plays a vast part in the government’s operation.
The courts have the function of giving the public a chance to present themselves whether to prosecute or defend themselves if any disputes against them rise. It is known to everyone that a court is a place where disputes can be settled while using the right and proper procedures. In the Criminal court is the luxury of going through a tedious process of breaking a law. Once you have been arrested and have to go to court because of the arrest, you now have a criminal case appointed against you. The court is also the place where a just, fair and unbiased trial can be heard so that it would not cause any disadvantage to either of the party involved in the dispute. The parties are given a chance to represent themselves or to choose to have a legal representative, which is mostly preferred by many.
The judge was a middle-aged male who looked intimidating and seemed to be well respected. To my surprise, we did not have to stand up when he entered the room. After the judge came out I assumed the jury would follow quickly after. However I quickly learned that there would be no jury for this particular trial. After a few minutes, the handcuffed defendant entered the room wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. He was a middle-aged, African-American male who was involved in a narcotic conspiracy case. In addition to the defendant a probation officer, the prosecutor and the defendant’s lawyer were also present. Aside from me, my classmate and a student from Georgetown the defendant’s wife and sister were in the