What is the highest court in Pennsylvania?

What is the highest court in Pennsylvania?

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

What kind of cases are heard in the Court of Common Pleas?

A common pleas court hears cases involving such matters as real estate, personal injury, breach of contract, marital conflicts, probating of estates, guardianship of minors, and business relationships. This court has jurisdiction to hear all criminal felony cases.

What’s the difference between municipal court and common pleas?

A common pleas court has legal authority over adult felony criminal cases, bigger civil cases, and all other cases not handled by another, more specialized court. Municipal court—A trial court with jurisdiction to handle traffic and misdemeanor cases, and civil cases under $15,000.

What is the difference between local court and district court?

There are some differences between Local Court and District Court. The main difference is that Local Court is heard by a magistrate with lawyers appearing for accused people, with no jury. District Court is when Judges, Barristers and juries play their role. Local courts are where all criminal matters are first heard.

What is the difference between justice court and district court?

The District Court is the state trial court of general jurisdiction. Justice Courts are established by counties and municipalities and have the authority to deal with class B and C misdemeanors, violations of ordinances, small claims, and infractions committed within their territorial jurisdiction.

What happens in the Court of Common Pleas?

Misdemeanor Trial: The Court of Common Pleas has jurisdiction over misdemeanor offenses generally punishable by a fine and/or a jail term. In a jury trial, the Judge decides questions of law, and the jury decides questions of fact (whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty on each of the offenses charged.)

What is a civil lawsuit in PA?

You may file a civil suit at Magisterial District Court if you have a complaint against a person or business and wish to recover an amount of money totaling $12,000 or less. This is called a civil lawsuit.

What court are murders heard in?

The Supreme Court

Is there a jury in Supreme Court cases?

The overwhelming majority of cases that the Supreme Court does hear in its original jurisdiction are equitable in nature and therefore do not require a jury. Instead, the Court delegates any fact-finding to a special master.

What types of court cases require a jury?

The use of juries in civil cases is limited, and in New South Wales usually only occurs in defamation cases. In civil cases the jury decides whether the defendant is liable on the balance of probabilities. Majority verdicts in civil cases are also allowed for now under the Jury Act 1977, section 57.

Do all criminal cases have a jury?

All defendants in state criminal cases are entitled to jury trials according to the federal standard for “serious penalties” used by the Supreme Court. However, if the offense carries a sentence of 6 months or less, then a jury trial isn’t mandated and the state can decide whether to require a jury trial.

What is the7th amendment?

The Seventh Amendment has two clauses. The first, known as the Preservation Clause, provides: “In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved.” This clause sets out the types of cases juries are required to decide.

What is the 8 amendment in simple terms?

The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution states: “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” This amendment prohibits the federal government from imposing unduly harsh penalties on criminal defendants, either as the price for obtaining …

What does the 10th Amendment mean in simple terms?

The Tenth Amendment’s simple language—“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”—emphasizes that the inclusion of a bill of rights does not change the fundamental character of the national government.

What is the 6th Amendment in simple terms?

The Sixth Amendment guarantees the rights of criminal defendants, including the right to a public trial without unnecessary delay, the right to a lawyer, the right to an impartial jury, and the right to know who your accusers are and the nature of the charges and evidence against you.

What is the Strickland rule?

Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984), was a landmark Supreme Court case that established the standard for determining when a criminal defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel is violated by that counsel’s inadequate performance.

What is in the 6th Amendment?

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be …

When was the 6th Amendment used?

1963

What is the 6th and 14th Amendment?

The 6th Amendment of the United States Constitution, ratified as part of the Bill of Rights in 1791, provides that “in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right…to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.” The 14th Amendment, which prohibits states from “depriv[ing] any person of life.

Do minors have 4th Amendment rights?

The Supreme Court has extended the search and seizure protections of the Fourth Amendment to juveniles. It has also been held that the Fourth Amendment requires that a juvenile arrested without a warrant be provided a probable cause hearing.

Do you have a right to face your accuser?

The Sixth Amendment provides that a person accused of a crime has the right to confront a witness against him or her in a criminal action. This includes the right to be present at the trial (which is guaranteed by the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 43).