Role of courts

After listening to these episodes, think about the question that you answered in your introduction: What is the role of the court system in our country today?  Think about both the criminal and civil court systems, policy, the roles of the various people involved in the court system, and your own personal experiences. 

The US Courts website answers the question this way: "Courts decide what really happened and what should be done about it. They decide whether a person committed a crime and what the punishment should be. They also provide a peaceful way to decide private disputes that people can’t resolve themselves." 

Do you agree with that assessment?