ABSTRACT
In the American legal system, there are two sets of issues surrounding every dispute – issues of fact and issues of law. Issues of fact are the province of the trier of fact – the jury. Matters to be heard in a court of law fall into two broad categories – civil and criminal. Criminal matters arise when an individual violates the laws of the United States or an individual state. All court systems have three main parts: a trial court level, an intermediate appellate court, and a court of last resort. The trial courts are the only ones in which testimony is given and evidence is introduced. A person wishing to bring suit against another files a complaint in the appropriate trial-level court. Then a copy of that complaint is served upon the defendant, along with a summons from the court advising the defendant that he must answer within a specified period of time.
