judicial systems
Law enforcement structures
Judicial systems are the networks of courts, judges, and legal procedures that interpret and apply laws within a jurisdiction.
A country's judicial system determines how disputes are resolved, how crimes are prosecuted, and how rights are protected: The American judicial system relies heavily on precedent.
Different nations organize their judicial systems around distinct traditions—common law, civil law, religious law, or hybrid approaches.
- civil courtForum for private disputes
- appellate courtTribunal reviewing lower decisions
- constitutional courtBody reviewing legislative validity
- statutory lawLegislature-made legal rules
- trial courtFirst-level judicial forum
criminal court · witness · common law · litigation · class action · family court · small claims · court order · legal proceedings · case law · plea bargaining · habeas corpus · due process · prosecutor · robes · law and order · trial · ruling
- Islamic Lawsharia, Sharia, Shariah, Islamic law, fatwa
- governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
- BalkansAlbania, Bosnia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Kosovo
- crime historyorganized crime, trial records, criminal records, Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde
- Asian lawIslamic law, qadi, mufti, fatwa, panchayat
judicial systemslegislatures
Bodies that make laws
legislative branch · executive branch · parliaments · congresses · executive power
judicial systemsvigilante justice
Unauthorized punishment by civilians
mob justice · lynch mobs · blood feuds · tribal councils · vendetta
judicial systemstyranny
Oppressive, absolute governance
despotism · summary execution · martial law · lawlessness · show trials