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The Dual Court System

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1. What is meant by a dual court system in the U.S.? What impact does the court system in the U.S. have on criminal law? The judiciary is composed of two court systems, with courts at both the national and state levels. The impact of these two court systems allows for criminal laws to be imposed by Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies, each with its own jurisdictional requirements and enforcement criteria. The differences in impact can be in areas such sentencing, policies in sentencing options, appellate court opinions and Supreme Court decisions that result in case law determinations. 2. List and explain the various types of jurisdiction listed in the text.
State jurisdiction means that the state has authority of trying cases involving violations of state and local laws, the states have general jurisdiction. State jurisdiction is at times concurrent with federal jurisdiction. State courts hear civil and criminal cases related to state laws and state constitutional issues. Federal jurisdiction means the federal government has authority in cases involving crimes committed on federal property. Federal courts have limited jurisdiction, federal courts hear criminal and civil cases that involve constitutional and federal law, policies and special subject matter. Federal laws take precedence over state and local laws, and state law has precedence over local law.
3. Explain the hierarchical jurisdiction of the federal court system. The lowest trial court

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