| Judges' Membership in Discriminatory Organizations |
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| Every state has a code of judicial conduct that sets ethical guidelines for judges. All states have judicial conduct commissions with the power to investigate, prosecute, and decide cases of judicial misconduct. There is also a code of conduct for federal judges. The code of judicial conduct requires a judge to avoid not only impropriety but also the appearance of impropriety. The code of judicial conduct also covers judicial integrity, independence, diligence and impartiality. Membership in discriminatory organizations is currently a controversial topic. More... |
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| State Administrative Law |
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| State legislatures have passed laws setting up various state administrative agencies. Some examples of state administrative agencies include public utilities commissions, worker's compensation bureaus, motor vehicle bureaus, and natural resources departments. State agencies exercise powers delegated to them by the state legislature. More... |
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| Joinder of Parties in Civil Lawsuits |
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| A civil lawsuit is a legal action brought in a court by a person who is called the plaintiff. Generally, a lawsuit has one plaintiff who asserts one or more claims against one defendant. However, there are situations in which additional parties can be added to the lawsuit. More... |
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| State Appellate Courts |
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| Most states have an intermediate level appellate court, which is generally called the court of appeals. State courts of appeals have a panel of judges who review the trial court's decision. The number of judges on the panel varies. The court of appeals determines whether the trial judge followed proper procedure and correctly interpreted and applied the law to the facts of the case.
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| Scientific Evidence |
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| Scientific evidence is demonstrative evidence or evidence that is introduced to prove a fact by some mode other than oral testimony. Scientific evidence is obtained by using the scientific method, a process of scientifically investigating physical evidence. The information obtained is considered valid since it has been tested. Any scientific evidence that is admitted during a trial must be both relevant (tends to prove or disprove the factual matter being considered by the court) and reliable or trustworthy. Handwriting analysis, fingerprint and footprint analysis, DNA analysis, and lie detector test results are all examples of scientific evidence. Generally, an expert witness is called to testify about the reliability of the scientific evidence sought to be introduced at trial. More... |
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