chapter 7 law.docx

chapter 7 law.docx

《chapter 7 law.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《chapter 7 law.docx（16页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

chapter7law

chapter7

LawandJudicialSystem

ThepartplayedbylawandbythecourtofjusticeisprobablymoreimportantinAmericansocietythaninanyother.Thereisprobablynoothercountrywherethedecisionsofthesupremecourtmaketheheadlinesofthefrontpagesofnewspapersandarediscussedineditorialsandletterstotheeditor）wherethedailylivesofmillionsofcitizensareaffectedbythesedecisions;wherethesocialstrugglesareoftensubmittedtothecourtsandsometimesappeartobemainlylegalbattles;andwherelegalaidmaybeconsideredanimportantpartofananti-povertyprogramandgrantedmillionsofdollars.ItisintheUnitedStatesthattheexpression''governmentbyjudiciary"hasbeencoinedandthatthephenomenontowhichitrefershasbeenandremainsthesubjectofscholarlyworks.FromAlexisdeTocquevilletothepresent,noforeignobservercouldhelpbeingstruckbytheplaceoflawandthejudiciaryintheUnitedStates.

WhileforeignobserversareimpressedbythecentralroleplayedbythelegalsysteminAmericanpolitical,socialandeconomiclife.Americansthemselveslookuponlegalissuesandcourtdecisionsasmattersofwidespreadinterestanddailyconcern.Theymakeactiveuseoftheirlegalsystemandtakegreatprideinbeingalitigiouspeople.Theyaresoaccustomedtoseekingredressfromthecourtthatover650,000lawyersandjudgesareemployedtoevaluatetheircases.

Suchculturalbehaviorhashistoricalandpoliticalexplanations.Historicallyspeaking,Americanactiveparticipationinthelegalprocesslargelyderivesfromtheircolonialandfrontierexperiencesinwhichbothsettlersandfrontiersmenwereoftenthrownuponthemselvestodefendtheirinterestsandrights.ThedisaffectionofcoloniststowardstheBritishCrowninthelatecolonialperiodhadsomelegalcausesandalwaysfoundexpressioninlegalterms.Indeed,theDeclarationofIndependenceitselfwasjustifiedbyitsdraftersbyalonglistoflegalgrievances.Politicallyspeaking,sincethefoundingoftherepublic,Americanpeople'slife,bothpublicandprivate,hasbeenshapedbytheU.S.ConstitutionandthelaterBillofRights.Theselegalandpoliticaldocumentsguaranteecivilrightsandfreedomsforcitizensandstipulateaseparationofpowersbetweenanindependentjudiciaryandtheotherbranchesofgovernment.Americans'expectationsofsocialandpoliticaljustice,therefore,depend,ideallyaswellaspractically,onthesafeguardsinthesedocuments.

AllthesehistoricalexperiencesandpoliticalculturehavetherebylaidgroundsforAmericanstoviewissuesofjusticeandrightsasafundamentalconcernintheirlives.Alwaysjealousoftheirindividualrights,theyarepreparedtogotocourtforjusticeiftheyfeelthattheircivilrightshavebeeninfringedbyfederalorstategovernments.Theyareequallyreadytobringtheircasestocourtagainstdoctors,airlines,educationalinstitutions,manufacturers,commercialcompanies,employers,ortheirneighborswhentheyareconvincedthatseriousinjusticehasbeendoneonthem.UndertheprotectionoftheU.S.Constitution,Americanshaveaconstitutionalrighttohavetheireasesquicklydeterminedinapublictrialbyanimpartial（intheoryatleast）judgeorjury.Fortheseandmanyotherreasons,averylargenumberofcivilandcriminalcasesarehandledannuallybythecourts,mostofwhicharedeterminedatstateandlocalratherthanfederallevels.Thus,lawandthedecisionsofthecourtsareabasicingredient,notonlyinthepoliticallifeofthenation）butalsointhedailylifeoftheordinarycitizen.

TheJudicialSystem

U.S.courtsoperateatseparatefederalandstatelevelsandhavetheirownareasofauthorityorjurisdiction.StateandlocalcourtshandlemostofthelegalcasesandarethemostimmediateforAmericans.Thefederalcourtsonlyaccountforsome2percentofcasestriedannually.Together,federalandstateandlocalcourtsmakeupthestructureofthejudicialsystemintheUnitedStates.

TheFederalJudicialSystem

FederalcourtsdealwithcaseswhichariseundertheU.S.Constitution,treatiesorfederallawandanydisputesinvolvingthefederalgovernment.Theyalsohearmattersinvolvinggovernmentsorcitizensofdifferentstatesandthereforeplayapartinstatelawaswell.Besides,ifacaseinthehigheststatecourtappealinvolvesafederalquestion,itcanbeappealedtotheU.S.SupremeCourt.

Thefederaljudicialsystemformsahierarchy.Thethreemainlevelsofcourtsareinascendingorderofappeal;

1.TheUnitedStatesDistrictCourts;

2.TheUnitedStatesCourtsofAppeal;

3.TheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt.

Aeaseinvolvingfederaljurisdictionisheardfirstbeforeafederaldistrictcourt.Ifnotsolved,anappealmaybemadetotheUnitedStatesCourtsofAppeal.Whenstillnotsolved,thecasemaybebrou