American courts use dual court system. There are two main courts, the federal courts and the state courts. Each of the fifty states has its own state court that deals with cases involving the laws of the state. Federal courts are responsible for handling legal cases concerning the federal laws and crimes. Both the federal and the state courts are great levelers and they ensure that all citizens are equally treated.
The state court systems consist of the State Supreme Court, the Intermediate Court of Appeal, and the State Trial Court. However, each state has its own system of criminal court. Most of the states in the America have two types of trial courts; that is the limited and unlimited courts. Limited courts handle only small or misdemeanors cases. They also hear felony pretrial cases. Limited courts are always referred to as municipal, magistrate, or police courts. Unlimited courts are known for handling cases of felony. They are often referred to as superior, district, circuit, or general-sessions courts. State courts handle all cases, without the exception of cases specifically identified for federal courts. Each state has its laws and its interpretation of the laws. Through this, the states are able to maintain its powers.
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Federal courts include the U.S. Supreme Court, Circuit Court of Appeals, and the District Court. They often have limited jurisdiction. Federal courts always handle only two types of cases; those that involve a federal intervention and those that involve citizenship. The District Courts usually handle trial cases in the federal system. Defendants can appeal to the U.S. Courts of Appeals in case they have been convicted in the federal trial court. There are 13 courts of appeal with each court having from six to 30 judges. Appeals courts do not handle trial cases. They review what the trial court has done and rule on matters of law.
There are various courts that are used in Alabama state courts. They include the Supreme Court of Alabama , the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals and the Alabama District Courts which are located in 67 districts. There are also the Alabama Municipal Courts which are 273 in number. The state courts of Alabama also consist of the Alabama Court of Civil and Criminal appeals. There are also Federal courts that are located in the Northern, Middle and the Southern districts of Alabama.
Criminal courts use trial, appellant and supreme forms of courts. A trial court is where the criminal cases are commenced. It involves the first introduction of evidence and testimonies. When both parties present their evidences and testimonials, the judge comes up with a decision. If one of the parties involves feels unsatisfied with the decision presented by the judge, they have an opportunity to appeal for a review in the appellant court. In the appellant court, the judge goes through the original case materials and determines if the decision made by the trial court was lawful. New evidences are not produced in the appellant court.
Supreme courts relatively functions like the Courts of Appeal in that, they listen to appeals from the trial and the appellant courts. It is the last option for those looking for justice. Besides, the Supreme Court protects the civil rights and the constitution. All state courts have different court systems. This is because each state has its own constitution and laws. These laws are responsible for the design of the court system of a particular state. However, all states court systems have the same hierarchy levels; the lower courts, the appellant courts and the state supreme courts.
