Jurisdiction Essay (H)

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Grand Canyon University *

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Arts Humanities

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Feb 20, 2024

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Jurisdiction Essay (H) Aden Holt College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Grand Canyon University JUS-325-TO101, Adjudication Function Michael Coplan 1/14/24
Jurisdiction Essay (H) The legal landscape of the United States is composed of an intricate web of jurisdictions at the federal and state levels, each having a unique role within the justice system. Understanding the purpose and function of each jurisdiction, particularly in criminal cases, is critical to interpreting the complexities of our legal system and the pursuit of justice within our society.   Federal and State jurisdiction serve distinct yet interconnected functions in the criminal justice process. The federal jurisdiction, as outlined in the U.S Constitution, primarily addresses criminal cases involving federal laws or offenses that cross state lines. These include white-collar crimes such as securities fraud, immigration offenses, and crimes committed on federal property or Indian reservations. State jurisdiction, on the other hand, typically handles most criminal cases, including violations of state laws, such as robbery, assault, and murder. Each state has its independent court system, separate from the federal courts, as indicated in the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. “ State courts handle by far the larger number of cases, and have more contact with the public than federal courts do. Although the federal courts hear far fewer cases than the state courts, the cases they do hear tend more often to be of national importance,” (FindLaw, 2016). In addition to criminal cases, state jurisdictions also handle a wide range of other legal matters, such as civil disputes, family law, probate, and traffic violations. State courts play a crucial role in interpreting and applying state statutes and regulations. Each state has its own court structure, which may include trial courts, appellate courts, and a supreme court. The organization and jurisdiction of state courts can vary to some extent, as each state has the authority to establish its own judicial system within the framework of the Constitution.
The existence of multiple court jurisdictions for criminal offenses can be attributed to the federalist system of government in the United States. The federal and state governments have separate and shared powers, as provided by the Constitution. This system allows for a division of responsibilities between the two levels of government, thus creating a balance of power, “The U.S. Constitution, Article III, establishes the federal court system with the U.S. Supreme Court and permits Congress to create lower federal courts, namely circuit and district courts.” (National Center for State Courts, 2018). Consequently, this has resulted in multiple court jurisdictions at both levels to address respective criminal offenses. The federalist system of government in the United States, as established by the Constitution, is designed to distribute powers between the federal and state governments. This division of powers allows each level of government to have its own areas of authority while also sharing some responsibilities. In the context of the criminal justice system, this federalist structure has led to the existence of multiple court jurisdictions. The federal government has the authority to pass laws and prosecute offenses that fall under federal jurisdiction, such as crimes involving interstate commerce, federal tax evasion, and offenses against federal laws. The federal courts handle these cases. The question then arises whether the plethora of jurisdictions enhances or detracts from the imposition of justice throughout the country. One could argue that the multiplicity of jurisdictions enhances justice by ensuring that all forms of criminal offenses, irrespective of where they are committed, are adequately addressed. The federal-state jurisdiction dichotomy allows for specialization and expertise in dealing with specific types of cases, “ The records of the Federal Convention are silent on why the Framers included controversies between citizens of
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