COURTS
STATE COURTS
FOR EVERY ONE FELONY CONVICTION
IN FEDERAL COURT THERE ARE MORE
THAN 20 FELONY CONVICTIONS IN
STATE COURT
JURISDICTION
THE GEOGRAPHIC TERRITORY OR
LEGAL BOUNDARIES WITHIN WHICH
CONTROL MAY BE EXERCISED; THE
RANGE OF A COURT’S AUTHORITY
STATE COURT
STATE SUPREME COURT
STATE COURT OF APPEALS
TRIAL COURTS/DISTRICT COURTS (GENERAL JURSDICTION)
TRIAL COURTS/LIMITED JURSDICTION
MUNICIPAL
COUNTY
CONCILIATION COURTS—UP TO $10,000
JUDGES
EXPECTED TO EMBODY JUSTICE
Six methods of selection
Gubernatorial appointment
Legislative selection
Merit selection
Nonpartisan election
Partisan election
Mixture of methods
JOB REQUIREMENTS
LAWYER
UNDER THE AGE OF 70
ELECTED TO 6 YEAR TERMS
IF APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR—
SERVE AT LEAST ONE YEAR BEFORE
AN ELECTION
DISTRICT COURTS
TEN DISTRICTS
2ND—RAMSEY COUNTY
4TH—HENNEPIN COUNTY
10TH—WASHINGTON COUNTY
10 JUDGES
MINNESOTA SUPREME COURT
CHIEF JUSTICE LORIE SKJERVEN
GILDEA
ESTABLISHED IN 1849
MN BECAME A STATE IN1858
MN COURT OF APPEALS
19 JUSTICES
FINAL RULING 95% OF ITS CASES
TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT THE
JUSTICES FORM 3 JUDGE PANELS AND
THEY TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE
STATE
U.S. SUPREME COURT
9 JUSTICES—NUMBER SET BY SENATE
JOHN G. ROBERTS—CHIEF JUSTICE
SINCE 09/2005
APPOINTMENT FOR LIFE
APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT
U.S. STATE ATTORNEY
Minnesota Criminal Division
Civil Division
Administrative Division
Community Relations Division
CRIMINAL DIVISION
ECONOMIC CRIMES
Investment
Banking
Public Corruption
NARCOTICS
Works with DEA, IRS, FBI
MAJOR CRIMES
Bank Robberies
Counterfeiting
Crimes on the Red Lake and Bois Forte Indian
Reservations
U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL
Part of Cabinet---Department of Justice
Appointed by President
Loretta Lynch
Appointed 04/27/2015
MN ATTORNEY GENERAL
Chief legal officer for the State of Minnesota
Chief policy maker in areas of
Consumer protection
Health Care
Housing
Utilities
Other duties
Legal Advisor to Police Departments
Guide Police Investigations
Close Working Relationship
DISCRETION
Prosecutorial Discretion
Lies in the power to charge, or not to charge, a
person with an offense
TRIAL
The examination in a court of the issues of
fact and law in a case for the purpose of
reaching a judgment of conviction or acquittal
of the defendant
48 HOUR RULE
Arrested without a warrant
Must go before a Judge no later than 48 hours so
the Judge can determine probable cause for that
arrest
Clock begins immediately upon the time of
arrest and includes the day of arrest.
Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays are
also included.
36 HOUR RULE/RULE 5/BAIL
Arrested without a warrant---must be
brought before the judge no later than 36
hours after arrest