The Texas Judiciary

1
The Texas Judiciary
2
The Legal Foundations of Texas Judicial System

• 1.) The Constitutions of the United States and
  Texas comprise the foundational legal framework
• 2.) Statutory Law
• a.) Congressional laws
• b.) Criminal Law Texas Penal Code
• c.) Civil Law statutory and tort law
• 3.) City Ordinances
• 4.) Administrative Law
• a.) federal
• b.) state

3
Structure of the Texas Court System

• ? Texas Supreme Court and Texas Court of Criminal
  Appeals
• ? Court of Appeals
• ? District Courts
• ? County-Level Courts
• ? Municipal Courts and Justice of the Peace Courts

4
Court Jurisdictions

• Original Jurisdiction ? Courts try or resolve
  only those cases being heard for the first time
• a.) District Courts
• b.) County-level Courts
• c.) Municipal Courts and JP Courts
• Appellate Jurisdiction ? Courts review the
  decisions of lower courts to determine if
  constitutional and statutory principles and
  procedures were correctly interpreted and
  followed
• a.) Texas Supreme Court
• b.) Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
• c.) Courts of Appeals

5
Juries

• Grand Jury ? Examine the evidence submitted by
  prosecutors and decide whether or not to indict,
  or charge , a person with a criminal offense
• Petit Jury ? Listen to evidence in a criminal
  prosecution or a civil case and decide the
  outcome by issuing a verdict

6
Criticisms and Reform Proposals

• 1.) Fragmented, inefficient court system
  structure
• 2.) Modification of partisan elections of state
  judges
• 3.) Remain aware of policy-making role of state
  courts
• 4.) Reform legislation
• a.) campaign financing to eliminate unethical,
  conflicts of interest and excessive influence of
  special interest groups
• b.) tort law (limits on monetary damages)
• c.) reviewing criminal justice practices
• 5.) Trends in the court representation of
  minorities