State Trial Courts Essay

Explain the main responsibilities of state trial courts. What is the purpose of state trial courts?

State trial courts are the first level in the court system. “State trial courts are responsible for arraigning a defendant, impaneling a jury, hearing and evaluating evidence, determining the facts, pronouncing judgment and imposing a sentence” (Wright, 2012). Trial courts are first in line to hear a case and determine how the court will continue with each particular case. Trial courts are also known as “finders of facts,” this is the key thing that separates them from the rest of the courts. Trial courts are determined to ensure that they have all the facts and if, so they will make the determination if the court will proceed with prosecuting the accused, and if the evidence is convincing enough the courts will sentence the accused.

How are state trial courts related to and different from state appeals courts and state supreme courts?

The appeals courts receive cases that have already been to trial, and the accused has been convicted of the crime. The accused has the opportunity to appeal the

Each state has a supreme court. The federal U.S. Supreme Court is the highest level of the court systems. This is an individual’s last resort when trying to appeal their case. “Similar to appellate courts, they examine legal issues involved in specific criminal cases, and they have the power to order new trials in situations where the errors of the lower courts were so significant that the defendant may not have received a fair trial” (Wright, 2012). The state supreme courts can handle cases that deal with the constitutionality of state laws. The state supreme court has the authority to overturn these cases if they are found to violate the constitution. Unlike the state supreme courts, “the federal U.S. Supreme Court can overturn laws that were created by Congress or by any state” (Wright,