State Judicial Branch

1
State Judicial Branch

• Chapter 8 Section 4

2
State Courts

• State Court Cases
• Cases involving State Constitution State Laws
• State Creates own Court System
• State Penal Code
• Set of Criminal Law
• Hear Criminal Civil Cases

3
State Court System
STATE SUPREME COURT
APPEALS COURTS
GENERAL TRIAL COURTS
LOWER COURTS
4
State Court System

• LOWER COURTS
• Minor Cases
• Misdemeanor Criminal
• Civil w/ small amounts of money involved
• Small Claims Court
• NO Juries (single judge)
• Larger Cities
• Municipal Courts (Specify)
• Traffic Court, Family Courts

5
State Court System

• GENERAL TRIAL COURTS
• Major criminal and civil cases
• Juries hear MOST cases
• 12 Districts in Nebraska

6
State Court System

• Appeals Courts
• Hear cases that have been challenged or appealed
• NO Juries used
• Judges examine trial record from lower courts
• Was case fairly applied?

7
State Court System

• State Supreme Court
• Highest Court in the state
• Very similar action as the United States Supreme
  Court
• Decisions final unless appealed to US Supreme
  Court
• Nebraska Supreme Court
• 7 Justices
• Chief Judge Mike Heavican

8
Selection of State Judges

• Election of Judges
• Makes judges responsible to the people (PRO)
• Decisions may be made on what pleases voters
  (CON)
• Governor Appoint
• Must be approved by State Legislative Branch
• The Missouri Plan (used by Nebraska as well)
• Committee creates list of candidates
• Governor appoints from the list
• Judge faces voters in the next election
• Keep them or get rid of them