| 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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| Criminal Cases |
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| A criminal case begins when the prosecutor files criminal charges against a person, a person is arrested, or the grand jury returns an indictment against a person. Criminal offenses are either misdemeanors or felonies. A misdemeanor is a crime that is punishable by jail time of up to one year. A felony is a more serious crime, which is punishable by prison time of more than one year. More... |
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| Influences Affecting Judicial Decision-Making |
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| The independence of the judiciary is a central principle of a democracy. Judicial independence permits judges to make rulings based on legal principles instead of politics or public opinion. An independent court system allows fair and impartial decisions in legal cases. Political scientists have conducted research and studies to identify what factors influence a judge's decision-making. More... |
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| Preclusion and Effect of a Judgment in a Civil Lawsuit |
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| There are several doctrines of preclusion in civil procedure. Some of these doctrines are res judicata, collateral estoppel, judicial estoppel, full faith and credit and law of the case.
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| Standards for Admitting Expert Testimony |
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| In 1993, the United States Supreme Court established standards for admitting expert testimony when it decided Daubert v. Merrill Dow Pharmaceuticals. The Court held that for scientific evidence to be reliable, it has to be based on scientific validity. To be admissible at trial, a scientific theory has to have been tested and subjected to peer review and publication. The rate of error has to be shown, and there must be standards controlling any research on the theory. Finally, the theory has to be generally accepted in the scientific community. More... |
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