Role of Courts in the Criminal Justice System

 Part 1 

Write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

The objective of this assignment is to enable you to demonstrate your understanding of how the increases and/or changes in court workloads are impacting the offices that are responsible for court management. It has been said (e.g., by Walter Olson in a 1991 book titled The Litigation Explosion) that there has been a “litigation explosion” in the courts, at both the trial and appellate levels. Respond to the following questions in an essay:

What does it mean that there is a “litigation explosion,” and is this accurate? (Be sure to address both trial and appellate levels.) 

Are more cases being settled before coming to trial through a variety of mechanisms (e.g., plea bargaining, out-of-court settlement, mediation, arbitration)? 

How does this "explosion" or the changes to how disputes are resolved affect court administrators?

Part 2

Write an essay of 2–3 pages (double spaced, 12-point font) in which you respond to the following questions:

· Where do the federal and state courts obtain their authority? 

· What is the structure of the federal court system, and what types of cases are addressed at the various federal court levels? 

· What are the key similarities and differences in the functions of federal versus state courts? 

· What are the key similarities and differences in the role and function of court administrators in trial, appellate, and limited-jurisdiction courts? 

· Choose a state. What is the structure and responsibility of the various courts in this state? 

· What is a quasi-judicial body, and what kinds of decisions can be reached through adjudication and other quasi-judicial proceedings?

APA , References, and in-cite citations