7.1. Introduction to the U.S. Court System

In the context of the U.S. court system, which phrase is an example of the word 'court' being used to mean a single judge?

What is one of the primary functions of courts as institutions in the American criminal justice system?

What is meant by the principle of 'due process of law' that courts are responsible for ensuring for criminal defendants?

Why are courts considered 'more important' in criminal cases compared to civil cases?

What is the primary function of a trial court?

What is the primary function of an appellate court?

What does the term 'courtroom workgroup' refer to in the context of the U.S. court system?

The introduction to the U.S. court system explains that the word 'court' can mean a building. What is the specific example given for this usage?

What understanding is required to project the trajectory of a criminal case from a local courthouse through to final appeals?

Which of the following is NOT listed as a meaning for the word 'court' in the chapter introduction?

How do appellate courts make their decisions known?

What is the key difference highlighted between how trial courts and appellate courts determine the outcome of a case?

In addition to determining if the defendant committed the crime, what other key determination do courts make regarding a criminal charge?

What allows parties in civil matters to resolve their disputes in a way that is not available in criminal prosecutions?

When the phrase 'courts hopefully resolve disputes in an even-handed manner' is used, what does 'courts' refer to?

Which group of individuals is explicitly mentioned as being part of the 'courtroom workgroup'?

What is the consequence of an appellate court finding a 'legal error' in a trial record?

The introduction states that the term 'court' can mean 'a group of judges'. What example is provided to illustrate this?

What must all criminal prosecutions be funneled through, according to the text?

What is the role of trial judges and juries in deciding a case?

Which court system is mentioned alongside the typical state court systems as part of the dual court system?

Courts are responsible for determining the 'facts of a crime'. What example question is given to illustrate this?

What does an appellate judge examine to determine if a case was 'rightly decided'?

What term is used for the concept that procedures used to convict a defendant must be fair?

Which of these is a responsibility of the courts as an institution?

What does the text imply is the difference between a trial court and an appellate court regarding the presentation of facts?

What is the primary subject of the written opinions issued by appellate courts?

When courts determine the 'legal sufficiency of the criminal charge', what question are they essentially asking?

According to the introduction, who are the 'players' that one will become familiar with as part of the courtroom process?

What is the fundamental difference in the processes of criminal and civil cases that makes courts more central to the former?

The chapter discusses four contextual meanings for the word 'court.' Which of the following is NOT one of those four meanings?

What does a trial court primarily deal with, which an appellate court then reviews?

Which statement accurately reflects the structure of the American court system as described in the introduction?

What is the outcome when appellate judges find that a case was NOT 'rightly decided'?

The introduction states that readers will become familiar with the 'selection, roles, and responsibilities' of which group?

Which concept ensures that the procedures for conviction are fair for a criminal defendant?

Why must one pay attention to the context when seeing the word 'court'?

The process of a court determining if the government can prove its case against a defendant is known as determining the...

What does the text suggest about the ability of parties to settle civil matters?

Appellate judges examine the trial record to look for what specific type of issue?

What is the collective term for the professional participants, including judges and attorneys, who work within the criminal courts?

Which of the following describes the function of a court when it acts as an institution or process?

The chapter introduction explains that an understanding of the court system will allow one to project the trajectory of a criminal case through what process?

In the phrase 'the trial court decided in his favor,' what does the term 'court' represent?

What is the key difference between trial courts and appellate courts regarding their decisions?

What does the 'dual court system' consist of?

A court's role in determining 'did the defendant do the crime?' is part of which broader function?

What is the primary material that appellate judges use to make their decisions?

The group of people including judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys who are participants in the criminal courts are referred to as the...

What is the ultimate purpose of an appellate court reviewing a trial record for legal error?