NCJ Number
136901
Date Published
1991
Length
63 pages
Annotation
This manual for Kentucky teachers describes the State court system, examines the qualifications and duties of judges, and discusses the structure of the Unified Court of Justice.
Abstract
The overview of the court system explains the Kentucky Unified Court of Justice which includes the district court, the circuit court, the court of appeals, and the supreme court. The district court is a court of limited jurisdiction. It hears cases involving juvenile matters, city and county ordinances, misdemeanors, traffic offenses, will probate, felony preliminaries, cases associated with the mentally ill and the disabled, and civil cases in which the amount in question is $4,000 or less. The circuit court is the court of general jurisdiction and handles all civil matters involving more than $4,000. It has jurisdiction over capital offenses and felonies, divorce, adoption, termination of parental rights, land title problems, and contested probate of will cases. The court of appeals has appellate jurisdiction, and most cases come to it from a lower court. The supreme court is the court of last resort and the final interpreter of State law. The manual covers judge qualifications, judicial removal and retirement, the Judicial Nominating Commission, and juries. Classroom activities are suggested for teaching students about the court system, and a mock trial competition handbook is included. Illustrations and photographs