Aaron Prisk 11/13/13 Criminal Justice

Supreme Court and 54 A District Court

During the Lansing Community College's Criminal Justice field trip the Supreme Court and 54 A District Court were visited to help bring detail and a one-to-one experience to each and every student there. Personal experiences were told along with a greater knowledge and understanding of what happens in both these buildings. With both so close together and surrounding the capital in Lansing they were both separate and very much different on the jurisdiction hierarchy pyramid.

At the top of the pyramid was Lansing's Supreme Court. The building stood independent and strong with four words on the front of the building. Freedom, equality, justice, and truth written on the foundation of the building represent the goals that are fought after in the Supreme Court by each individual justice working there. There is also a small statue of Lady Justice within the tour who has a sword and scale which has a great symbolic meaning to the Supreme Court. The sword itself represents the Courts authority which is strong and unwavering, and the scale represents equality for all who come to the doors of the Supreme Court. There is also a saying that comes with Lady Justice that states "justice is blind." This talks about the justices who serve and how they must treat

every case with the same goals on the building and keep their own biases out of the subject.

Now there are seven justices total who are all elected and supported by either the Democratic or Republican Party to help them win their election, but after the judges are to be partisans. These justices are each specialized in certain matters with the Chief Justice being Robert P. Young Jr. Their job is to not judge trials but to instead have oral arguments about specific cases and the laws that pertain to them from trials that are taken from lower courts. When one of these cases are presented to the justices they have three options to choose from. The justices can affirm or send back, reverse or disagree with, and or they can remand or send the case back for more information. To decide on how which of these three are chosen they us the Rule of Four. This is where the majority vote of four or more justices choose what they want to do.

The 54 A District Court was very much different in every way compared to the Supreme Court, and it lies at the bottom of the hierarchy scale for court jurisdiction. It is referred as the entry level or people's court which deals with misdemeanors. So cases involving small infractions and damages less than twenty-five thousand dollars. When there is a trial to be held before the trial takes place the defendant has fourteen days after the arraignment for evidence to be collected so a speedy trial can occur.

As for the judges of the district court there is also an election that takes place and this happens throughout the whole state. Each judge works regular hours but sometimes

work comes home with them. They are always trying to help the accused out with whatever the problem is but sadly the judges don't always get the right results from the people they are working with. One of the major lessons learned on the field trip to the Supreme Court and 54 A District Court is that even though they stand on opposite sides of the hierarchy scale they are both very important and have specific duties to fulfill. They work to better society and the people living in society everyday with the work that the justices and judges do in their courtrooms no matter how big or small the problem may be.