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In federal court, the jury decides the verdict. It’s the judge’s job to act as referee, ruling on issues of law before and during the trial. Federal judges keep up to date on many laws and rules such as: Federal Laws. Case Law. Varying State Law. Federal Rules. Examples. The U.S. Constitution and Amendments. The U.S. Code.
- The Players in The Courtroom
The federal judge who presides in the courtroom may be an...
- The Trial Process
The attorneys use this time to give the jury an overview of...
- Getting Ready For Trial
The grand jury decides if there is enough evidence to...
- Types of Court Cases
The Types of Court Cases. Criminal Cases; Civil Cases; In...
- The Players in The Courtroom
- Choosing a Jury. Except in cases that are tried only before a judge (i.e. most family court cases), one of the first steps in any civil trial is selection of a jury.
- Opening Statements. Once a jury is selected, the first "dialogue" in a personal injury trial comes in the form of two opening statements -- one from the plaintiff's attorney, and the other from an attorney representing the defendant.
- Closing Arguments. Similar to the opening statement, the closing argument offers the plaintiff and the defendant in a civil dispute a chance to "sum up" the case, recapping the evidence in a light favorable to their respective positions.
- Jury Instruction. After both sides of the case have had a chance to present their evidence and make a closing argument, the next step toward a verdict is jury instruction -- a process in which the judge gives the jury the set of legal standards it will need to decide whether the defendant should be held accountable for the plaintiff's alleged harm.
Nov 24, 2020 · On Wednesdays and Fridays, the justices gather in a private conference to make a decision. If at least four of the nine justices vote in favor of accepting it, the court will hear the case. If the justices decline to hear a case, only they know why. They never comment on why they have declined a petition.
- What Is The U.S. Supreme Court?
- The Role of Supreme Court Precedent
- From The Trial Court to The U.S. Supreme Court
- Contact An Attorney
The U.S. Constitutionis known as the supreme law of the land and grants all of our constitutional rights. Generally speaking, the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether laws and actions are constitutional or unconstitutional. As of 2023, the Supreme Court consists of nine Justices (one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices) who decide each case an...
The Supreme Court's precedent, also known as prior case law, guides lower courts in ruling on cases and controversies. The precedential opinions of the Court effectively provide the interpretation of the law that lower courts and the Supreme Court itself must follow. This legal principle is known as the doctrine of stare decisis. Although stare dec...
A lawsuit typically starts at the trial court or federal district court level for state or federal cases, respectively. The trial judge will hear evidence and consider legal arguments from each side before issuing their opinion. If the judge decides all or part of the case against you, you can then appeal the case to a higher court. Although court ...
The last time a party appeared in front of the U.S. Supreme Court without an attorney was in 1978. Therefore, if you are considering petitioning the Court to hear your case, consider contacting an attorney. An experienced attorney can help prepare your case to present to the Court. Given that the Court receives approximately 10,000 petitions annual...
- The Parties. The people or entities who are directly involved in a lawsuit are called parties. They are plaintiffs (those who are suing in a civil case) or defendants (those being sued in a civil case or accused in criminal cases).
- Witnesses. Witnesses give testimony about the facts or issues in the case that are in dispute. During their testimony, they sit on the witness stand, facing the courtroom.
- Lawyers. In the courtroom, the lawyers for each party will either be sitting at the counsel tables near the bench or be speaking to the judge, a witness, or the jury.
- The Judge. The judge presides over court proceedings from the "bench," which is usually an elevated platform. The judge has five basic tasks: to preside over the proceedings and see that order is maintained;
Nov 21, 2023 · A verdict is the conclusion of a court case after a jury hears both sides of the argument. In a criminal trial, the verdict will be guilty or not guilty. In a civil trial, the verdict will...
A verdict is the formal decision or judgment rendered by a court at the conclusion of a trial or legal proceeding. It represents the culmination of the entire legal process. Verdicts are reached by a judge or a jury, depending on the type of trial and jurisdiction .