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How Does the Court System Work? A Simple Breakdown 

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All the judicial bodies nationwide serve as a foundation for resolving disputes, upholding laws and ensuring that every person who is a part of society will get justice. Well, people generally don’t have proper knowledge about the court system functionalities and they think that it is very complex to follow. 

Well, this discussion will clear all your doubts regarding the court system’s work. Here, we have broken down how the court system works in a simple and easy-to-follow manner. So, if you want to upscale your judicials learning then just stick with this discussion. 

Basic Framework of Court 

Before starting the in-depth learning of the court system you should know about the basic framework of court (especially if you’re a newbie).

The court system established a hierarchy in which the cases are moving through various levels based on their complexities. If any party is not satisfied with the verdict of the previous court then they usually move to the higher hierarchy of judicial bodies. 

Court majorly deals with only 2 types of cases: Civil cases and Criminal cases. In civil cases, disagreements over contracts, property, mergers and acquisitions, family issues and other matters are taken into consideration. But, in criminal cases, the government brings the case and the person who has been accused of a crime will get the chance to defend himself. When the accused gets convicted then, the offender will have to face penalties like fines, imprisonment and, in severe cases, the death penalty too. 

It’s the basic framework of court but there is a lot more to learn in the basic framework of legal proceedings of Court and judicial bodies.  

Structure of courts: trial court, appellate court, and supreme court 

The complete system of court is divided into a hierarchy of 3 stages:

  • Trail court
  • Appellate court 
  • Supreme court 

Let’s discuss how these 2 courts work to maintain law and order in society and give justice to every person. 

Trail Court 

Trial courts are the first/foremost place to start a legal case. In these courts, the evidence is presented, and testification of witnesses will also happen. No matter what type of case occurs, the trial court deals with both civil and criminal cases. 

In trial court, either the judge or jury listens to the case, evaluates the evidence and presents the verdict. Now, the trial court is also classified into 4 different categories 

  • Criminal trial court
  • Civil courts 
  • Family courts
  • Small claims 

Here, the process of filing a case to get a verdict is listed below:- 

  • Firstly, the filing of a case is done by the victim or the government files a lawsuit or charges. 
  • Now, both parties will show evidence, and preliminary hearings will be done to discuss legal issues. 
  • At this step, the evidence gets submitted to the court where both sides have the opportunity to call witnesses and ask questions to them under the supervision of a judge or jury. If the case is civil the civil lawyer will handle all the legal proceedings otherwise, in case of business related cases, corporate lawyer represents both the parties.  
  • After hearing all the arguments and evidence, the judge will announce the verdict, and further proceedings will be placed accordingly. 

Once the decision is made but the losing party is not satisfied with the decision then they can appeal the case to a higher court. 

Appellate Court 

Appellate court is a high court that can review the decision made by the trial court. The appellate court did not examine the evidence and hear the witness. Instead, they review the legal process of the trial court to ensure that the law was applied correctly. In this type of court, there are only 2 parties involved: The appellant (the person who is appealing the decision) and the appellant (the person who won in the trial court and defended the decision). 

Procedure in Appellate Court 

  • Firstly, the appellant files the case in the appellate court, and both parties will submit a dedicated written argument, in brief, explaining their side of the case and the legal reasons why they want to challenge the decision of the trial court. 
  • Now, oral arguments between these 2 parties start when the court allows lawyers from both sides to present oral arguments. 
  • Both the parties will present their arguments, and afterwards, the court will place the verdict. Court can convey 3 verdicts either if they affirm the trial and agree with the trial court decision, reverse the decision or remand the decision where the case is sent to the trial court for further proceedings. 

Supreme court 

The Supreme Court is the highest nationwide. Every country has a supreme court which is the final authority of the legal hierarchy in every country. The Supreme Court only hears cases which are unresolved by other constitutional bodies. 

When a case is filed in the Supreme Court then, both parties will have to submit a petition to the court explaining why the case is important and why the court should grant a review on this case. If the court accepts the petition then oral arguments get started in the court. Both sides present their argument in front of honorable judges. After hearing the arguments and examining the evidence, the Supreme Court judges announced the verdict. This verdict is irreversible, and both parties should have to accept the decision of the court. 

Explanation of the role each court plays in the justice system 

All the judicial bodies have a huge role in maintaining law and order nationwide. Yes, sometimes cases indeed take time to solve, but judicial bodies try their best to punish the offender and give justice to the victim. Having law expertise from an online legal courses or through hiring a lawyer. You can make your case on priority and fight till you get justice. 

Millions of cases are reported in trial court, and thousands of them are challenged and continue headings in appellate courts. Thousands of petitions are also filed in the Supreme Court, but only a few cases which are serious and impactful are accepted by the Supreme Court.

Wrapping up 

Lastly, I must say that these legal bodies are the core of the legal system nationwide. Because of these legal bodies, a person feels free to fight against the offender and get justice.