MMC 3200 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Admiralty Law
Document Summary
52 different judicial systems in the u. s (federal, and one for each of the 50 states, including the district of columbia) Each judicial system is established by a constitution (federal or state) and is divided into two distinct sets of courts: trial courts and appellate courts. The courts act as the 3rd branch of a triumvirate of govt. (it has a legislative branch which makes the law, an executive branch which enforces the law, and a judicial branch which interprets the law) Trial courts: fact-finding courts (first instance, the place where nearly all cases begin) Empowered to consider both the facts and the law in a case. Facts are what happened and law is what should be done because of the facts. Testimony and evidence establishes the factual record what actually took place (conflicting evidence is decided upon the jury; when a jury is absent, the judge makes the decision)
