NCJ Number
133168
Journal
Judges' Journal Volume: 30 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1991) Pages: 6-10,64
Date Published
1991
Length
6 pages
Annotation
State trial judges have an important role in the criminal justice system because they handle most of the civil and criminal matters involving ordinary citizens and the volume of their cases is far larger than that handled by the Federal courts.
Abstract
Working under and interpreting State law, these judges rule on matters of property, contracts, automobiles, criminal prosecutions, marriage and divorce, estates, and other issues. Their work largely shapes public attitudes toward the court system. Trial courts deal with and dispose of litigation, define the law that controls the elements of liability and criminality, and interpret and enforce limitations on legislative and executive power as well as on their own authority. The nature of their role rests on the events that shaped England's legal history. Crucial to their effective functioning in rural areas are appropriate selection and methods of assuring judicial independence.