NCJ Number
41221
Date Published
1977
Length
325 pages
Annotation
IN 1957, THE INSTITUTE OF JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION PUBLISHED A PAMPHLET ENTITLED 'GUIDE TO COURT SYSTEMS' (NCJ-00790).
Abstract
AS STATED IN ITS INTRODUCTION, THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO PRESENT TO THE BEGINNING LAW STUDENT, INTERESTED LAYMEN, AND FOREIGN STUDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES COURTS AN UNCOMPLICATED NARRATIVE REGARDING COURT STRUCTURE AND THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS. INFORMATION WAS ALSO PROVIDED ON COURT PERSONNEL AND COURT ADMINISTRATION. IN ENLARGING THE BOOKLET INTO THE PRESENT VOLUME, THE AUTHOR TRACES THE DUAL COURT SYSTEM FROM ITS STRUCTURE UNDER THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION TO THE PRESENT DAY, GIVING BOTH HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND CONTEMPORARY UNDERSTANDING. DETAILS OF DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE NATION IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS HAVE BEEN ADDED. CIVIL AND CRIMINAL DELAYS IN TRIAL COURTS AND PROBLEMS IN JUVENILE JUSTICE ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. NEW CHAPTERS ON THE GRAND JURY AND THE PETIT JURY ARE INCLUDED; AND WHEREAS PREVIOUSLY ONLY THE NEW YORK COURTS WERE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL, NINE STATES (REPRESENTING VARIOUS SIZES AND GEOGRAPHIC SECTIONS) ARE HIGHLIGHTED. THE FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM IS ALSO EXTENSIVELY DESCRIBED, INCLUDING A NARRATIVE ON DELAY IN THE FEDERAL APPELLATE COURTS AND WHAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED TO REMEDY THIS INCREASING PROBLEM. NUMEROUS TABLES AND DIAGRAMS ILLUSTRATE THE NARRATIVE, AND EACH CHAPTER IS SUPPLEMENTED BY A LIST OF ADDITIONAL READINGS. A FULL GLOSSARY OF TERMS HAS ALSO BEEN ADDED. APPENDED MATERIALS DESCRIBE METHODS OF FINDING PRECEDENT AND PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO FOREIGN CIVIL LAW COURT SYSTEMS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...ELW