Criminal Justice - Criminal Courts - Quick Guides | Criminal Justice

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Study GuideCriminal JusƟce–Criminal Courts1. Federal CourtsThe federal court system is organized much like state court systems. It follows a pyramid structure,with trial courts at the bottom, appellate courts in the middle, and the U.S.Supreme Court at the top.Each level has a different role in handling cases.1.1 U.S. District Courts: The Trial CourtsAt the base of the federal court system are the94 U.S. district courts. These are thetrial courtsofthe federal system, where cases begin.Every state hasat least one federal district court, and larger states have several districts. Thesecourts handle bothcivil cases(such as lawsuits) andcriminal cases(cases involving violations offederal law).In 1997, more than300,000 caseswere filed in federal district courts. About15 percentof thesewere criminal cases. Since 1972, the number of criminal cases has gone up, mainly because of anincrease indrug-related cases. In fact,drugs, fraud, and immigration casesmade up over60percentof all criminal defendants in federal district courts in 1997.1.2 U.S. Courts of Appeals: Reviewing DecisionsAbove the district courts are theU.S. courts of appeals, also known ascircuit courts. These courtshave two main jobs:1.To hearappeals from federal district courts2.To reduce the workload of the U.S. Supreme CourtUnlike district courts, appeals courts do not use just one judge. Instead, cases are usually heard bythree-judge panels. In especially important cases, the court may hear the caseen banc, whichmeansall the judges in that circuitparticipate.The main role of the courts of appeals isreview, not trial. They focus on:•Interpreting laws

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Study Guide•Correcting legal errors made by lower courtsThese courtsdo not choose their cases freely. Their workload depends on how many cases areappealed. Each year, they handlemore than 40,000 civil and criminal cases.Criminal appeals have increased sharply in recent years. This rise is linked tofederal sentencingguidelinesandanticrime lawsthat requiremandatory minimum sentences. Because these lawsoften result in longer prison terms, defendants have more reason to file appeals.1.3 The U.S. Supreme Court: The Highest CourtAt the top of the federal court system is theU.S. Supreme Court. It hears appeals from:•Federal courts of appeals•State courts (when federal or constitutional issues are involved)The Supreme Court hasonly nine justices, yet it receives thousands of case requests each year.Because of this heavy workload, the justices usecertiorari power. This means theydecide whichcases to hear.The Court usually selects cases that havebroad national importance, such as those involvingconstitutional rights or major legal questions. After reviewing a case, the Court may either:•Affirmthe lower court’s decision (agree with it), or•Reversethe decision (overturn it)1.4 The Policymaking Role of the Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court plays a major role incriminal justice policymaking, more than any other court.Itdoes this in two main ways.1.4.1 Judicial ReviewFirst, the Court can use its power ofjudicial review. This power allows the Court to:•Declare acts ofCongress unconstitutional•Review laws passed bystate legislatures

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Study GuideJudicial review was established inMarbury v. Madison (1803). In that case, the Court struck down alaw that conflicted with the Constitution and set an important precedent that still guides the Courttoday.1.4.2 Interpreting the LawSecond, the Court shapes policy byinterpreting the law. A well-known example comes from theWarren Court, led by Chief JusticeEarl Warren.During this period, the Court focused heavily ondue processand issued rulings that changed howstates treat criminal defendants. These decisions:•Guaranteed theright to an attorneyin state criminal trials•Limitedpolice search and seizurepractices•Required police toinform suspects of their rightsThese rulings significantly influenced modern criminal justiceprocedures.1.5 Judicial AcƟvism vs. Judicial RestraintThere is ongoing debate about how much power courts should have in making public policy.1.5.1 Judicial ActivismJudicial activismoccurs when judges move beyond a strict, literal reading of the Constitution topromote what they believe is a just or necessary outcome. Judges who support activism seeconstitutional rights asflexible and evolving.Chief Justice Earl Warren expressed this idea by stating that the protections in the Bill of Rights mustreflect “evolving standards of decency” in a changing society.Judicial activism isnot tied to one political viewpoint. It can beliberal or conservative, dependingon how the Constitution is interpreted.1.5.2 Judicial RestraintIn contrast,judicial restraintencourages judges to limit their role. Supporters believe courts should:

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Study Guide•Avoid making public policy•Leave lawmaking to elected officials•Stick closely to the text of the ConstitutionThe key difference between activism and restraint is whether judgesonly interpret the lawor alsohelp shape it.This balance between interpreting and shaping the law continues to influence how the federal courtsoperate today.2. Heavy Caseloads and Court DelaysOne of the biggest challenges facing bothfederal and state courtsis thehuge number of casesthey must handle. From an administrative point of view, heavy caseloads are the courts’ most seriousproblem.In1997, more than300,000 civil and criminal caseswere filed in federal district courts. Criminalfilings reached theirhighest level since 1933, the year prohibition ended with the repeal of theEighteenth Amendment.State courts face an even larger workload. In1995, state courts handled about86 million newcases, including:•51 milliontraffic and ordinance violations•20 millioncivil cases•13 millioncriminal cases•2 millionjuvenile casesMuch of this growth is linked totougher drug laws, which have steadily increased the number ofcases entering the court system. Today,nearly two-thirds of state courtsare regularly behind ontheir schedules.When courts are overloaded,delays are almost unavoidable. These delays become especiallydangerous when the push to move cases faster begins to outweigh concern fordefendants’ rights.In those situations, justice may not be fully served. As a result, modern judicial administration focuseson two major goals:1.Reducing caseloads

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Study Guide2.Speeding up court processing2.1 Reducing CaseloadsOne way to manage court overload is toremove certain types of casesfrom regular trial courts.When minor cases are handled elsewhere, courts can focus on more serious matters.2.1.1 Special Courts and Drug CourtsCases involvingpublic drunkenness, traffic violations, and minor drug possessioncan beshifted tospecialized courts. A well-known example is thedrug court.Drug courts began in Florida when a county attorney developed a new approach to handling drugpossession cases. This idea was later expanded byJanet Reno, who went on to serve asU.S.Attorney Generalduring the Clinton administration. Her work led many other states to create similarcourts.Instead of sendingfirst-time drug offendersto prison or traditional probation, drug courts usuallyrequire:•Court-supervised drug treatment•Regular drug testing (urinalysis)The main goals of drug courts are to:•Reduce drug use and repeat offenses (recidivism)•Relieve pressure on non-drug cases in the courtsStudies show that combiningtreatment and monitoringis more effective than probation alone andleads tofewer repeat incarcerationsfor first-time drug offenders.2.1.2 Mediation for Civil DisputesAnother way to reduce caseloads is to moveprivate civil disputesout of traditional courtrooms andintomediation programs.Disagreements betweenspouses, neighbors, friends, landlords, and tenantsoften overwhelmlower courts. Mediation programs—commonly used indivorce, consumer, and landlord-tenantcases—aim to resolve conflicts moreefficiently.

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Study GuideSupporters argue that mediation:•Reduces court congestion•Saves time and money•Provides longer-lasting solutions by addressing the root causes of disputes2.2 Speeding Up Court ProcessingWhen courts handle too many cases,backlogs and trial delaysbecome common. The severity ofthese delays varies by court, but the consequences can be serious.2.2.1 Why Delays Are a ProblemDelays can:•Violate a defendant’sright to a speedy trial•Lead to longpretrial incarceration•Pressure innocent defendants toplead guilty•Weakenpublic confidencein the justice systemThe public expects justice to beswift and certain, not slow and drawn out.2.2.2 Speedy Trial LawsTo protect theSixth Amendment right to a speedy trial, Congress passed theSpeedy Trial Act of1974. This law sets clear deadlines in federal cases:•30 daysfrom arrest to indictment•70 daysfrom indictment to trialAll50 stateshave their own speedy trial laws as well. These laws are designed to preventunnecessary delays, especially for defendants who are jailed while waiting for trial.

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