| Special Federal Courts |
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| The federal court system is made up of federal district courts (trial level courts), courts of appeals (appellate level courts), and the Supreme Court of the United States. In addition, the federal court system has special courts that hear a specific type of case. This article takes a look at special federal courts. More... |
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| Mandatory Arbitration Clauses |
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| Contracts often include arbitration clauses. Arbitration is a method of alternative dispute resolution. The arbitration process is less formal than a trial, and the dispute is resolved much more quickly than traditional litigation. Arbitration clauses require a dispute to be submitted to arbitration instead of filing a lawsuit. The arbitrator's decision is final and binding on the parties. Some legal commentators claim that mandatory arbitration clauses undermine consumer rights. This article discusses the impact of mandatory arbitration clauses on consumers. More... |
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| The Jurisdiction of a State Court |
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| Jurisdiction refers to the power of a court to hear and decide a case. The power of a state court to hear a particular case comes from the constitution and laws of that state. For a court's decision to be legally binding, the court must have both subject matter jurisdiction (authority to hear a case involving the type of legal matter at issue, such as a contract or a personal injury) and personal jurisdiction (authority over the parties to the suit). More... |
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| Hung Juries |
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| The United States Constitution guarantees all criminal defendants a right to a trial by a jury of their peers. A criminal jury consists of 12 people. There is also a constitutional right to a jury trial in certain types of civil cases. The jury in a civil case usually contains 6 to 12 people. If the jurors cannot agree on a verdict, the jury is said to be a "hung jury" or a "deadlocked jury." If a jury deadlocks, the result is a mistrial. More... |
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| The Supreme Court of the United States |
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| The United States Constitution provides that the judicial power of the United States is vested in one Supreme Court and any lower courts established by the United States Congress. The Supreme Court was organized on February 2, 1790. More... |
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