| Restrictions on Judicial Campaign Speech |
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| Each branch of the armed forces has its own judicial system. Each service (Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force) has a JAG, who is the senior legal officer of that branch of the armed forces. The JAG is charged with administering military justice and with providing legal advice, opinions, and assistance to those who serve in the military. More... |
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| General Civil Litigation |
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| Criminal litigation involves the government's prosecution of a person because of an alleged commission of a crime. Criminal behavior is punished by imposing a fine and/or imprisonment on the offender. All criminal proceedings are initiated by a government entity. General civil litigation, on the other hand, involves disputes between private parties. A civil lawsuit is initiated by one person against another person, business, or government entity. There can be multiple plaintiffs (person suing) and/or multiple defendan More... |
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| A High-Tech Courtroom |
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| The Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York is a high-tech courtroom. The courtroom has the latest technology, which helps cases proceed in an efficient manner. There are flat screen computer monitors in the jury box and on the witness stand. The judge's bench and the counsel tables also have flat screen computer monitors and docking stations that enable the use of computers during the trial. The podium is electronic and allows the electronic presentation of evidence through a wireless communicator or by DC-ROM. More... |
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| Judicial Conflicts of Interest |
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| Our legal system requires a fair and independent judiciary. In order to maintain public trust in our system of justice, judges must conduct themselves in an ethical manner. There are codes of conduct, which set standards of behavior for state and federal judges. These standards are aimed at assuring the impartiality of judges and reducing the possibility of conflicts of interest. More... |
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| Opening Statements and Closing Arguments at Trial |
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| A trial begins with opening statements by the attorneys for the litigants (the parties in the lawsuit). The plaintiff (the party suing) has the burden of proof in the case. This means the plaintiff must prove the allegations in his/her complaint in order to win the case. The standard of proof in a civil lawsuit is a preponderance of the evidence (the facts are more in favor of the plaintiff than the defendant, the party being sued.) In a criminal prosecution, the government is the plaintiff. The government has to prove a criminal defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. More... |
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