Kentucky Court System

Trivia

1. What is it called when defendants plead guilty to get a reduced or shorter sentence?

More Facts...

2. What is the court of general jurisdiction?

3. What are the names of the courts in Kentucky?

4. What is the court that has fourteen judges?

5. What are the questions an attorney asks a witness called?

• A defendant may request a jury trial which is a trial before a jury & a bench trial which is a trial before a judge.

• When defendants plead guilty, rather than go to a trial, in return for a reduced charge or lighter sentence, is called plea bargaining.

Works Cited

• In Kentucky, suspects can waive the right to a preliminary hearing, and the case goes directly to Grand Jury.

kysecurity.wordpress.com

James Kane, email, 5 February 2014

• Most criminal cases are heard before a judge.

Sentella, Andrew Kentucky New York: Scholastic Inc., 2008

lawyers.com "The Criminal Law Process In Kentucky

Kress, Jack M., "How Courts Work", World Book 2002, 2002

courts.ky.gov "Supreme Court of Kentucky"

courts.ky.gov "Kentucky Court of Appeals"

courts.ky.gov "District Court"

courts.ky.gov "Family Court"

courts.ky.gov "Circuit Court"

cybercafewest.com

excessivebail.com

en.wikipedia.org

paduiblog.com

courts.ky.gov

Jury Instructions

• Given to the jury by the judge and are intended to reflect the law which applies to the case.

Kentucky Court System

• After these instructions are received, the attorneys are able to present their closing arguments to the jury.

Family Court

• Specifically created to deal with problems that center around family law.

• Involved in the most intimate and complex aspects of human nature and social relations.

• Since it uses a case management process, it is distinguished from other trial courts.

District Court

• Beginning level of the court system.

• The court of limited jurisdiction.

• Handles probate cases, small claims cases, guardianship cases, involuntary commitment proceedings, traffic offenses, misdemeanor criminal offenses, and even requests for name changes.

• Settles most of Kentucky's legal matters including criminal & civil cases.

Circuit Court

• Third level of court in Kentucky.

• Has the power to issue injunctions, writs of prohibition and mandamus, and hear appeals from District Court and administratve agencies.

• Court of general jurisdiction.

• Circuit Court hears more serious crimes than District Court.

Courts

courts

Trial

• During a typical trial, attorneys will begin with jury selection.

• After the jury has been selected, the attorneys will then be able to make their opening statements.

• When an attorney calls a witness, the questions they ask them are called direct examination.

• If the opposing attorney asks the same witness questions, the process is called cross examination.

Court of Appeals

• If the involved parties are not satisfied with the outcome of a trial, the case can be appealed and sent to the Court of Appeals to be reviewed for the correctness of the trial court's decision.

Supreme Court

• The court of last resort and the final interpreter of state law in Kentucky.

• It's the final word on legal matters in Kentucky.

• Unlike the Supreme Court of the United States, the Kentucky Court has seven judges instead of nine.