Federal and state court systems by describing three main differences between the two court systems.
Full Answer Section
- Appeals: The federal court system has a two-tiered appeals process, while the state court system may have a one-tiered or two-tiered appeals process. This means that there are two levels of appellate courts in the federal system, while there may be only one level of appellate court in the state system.
Sample Solution
- Jurisdiction: The federal court system has jurisdiction over cases involving federal law, while the state court system has jurisdiction over cases involving state law. For example, the federal court system would have jurisdiction over a case involving a violation of the federal civil rights laws, while the state court system would have jurisdiction over a case involving a violation of the state's criminal code.
- Procedure: The federal court system and the state court system have different procedural rules. These rules govern how cases are filed, what evidence is admissible, and how trials are conducted. For example, the federal court system uses a jury trial for most civil cases, while the state court system may allow for a bench trial (trial by judge) in some cases.