09 Jun State and Federal Court Systems

Order Instructions

Choose one (1) state and research the state court system. This assignment contains three parts; You must complete each of these parts. Write your answers in complete sentences. Your responses should be written clearly and concisely. You will need outside sources for this assignment, so be sure to cite them using in-text citations and include a List of References in APA format.

Part 1

For your chosen state, list the state courts, from the lowest court to the highest court.

Part 2

Read Scenario 1 and based on the information you obtained from your research, answer the questions below.

Scenario 1: Sam Smith, your next-door neighbor, was just arrested for manslaughter that occurred during a domestic violence incident at his home.

In what court will Sam’s trial be held?

If Sam is found guilty at the trial level and decides to appeal his conviction, what appellate court will hear his appeal?

If Sam loses his appeal to the state appellate court, does he have another option to appeal? If so, to what court?

Part 3

Read Scenario 2 and based on the information you obtained from your research, answer the questions below.

Scenario 2: Imagine that Sam has been arrested by the FBI for a federal crime that he committed in the city/town where you live.

What U.S. District Court will hear his case?

If Sam is found guilty by the U.S. District Court and wishes to appeal his conviction, which circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals will hear his appeal?

If Sam’s conviction is upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals, does he have any further appeal options? Please explain.