Difference between revisions of "United States"

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The legislature is comprised of two branches, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is made up of 100 senators, two per state, who are elected for a term of six years. The Vice President of the United States also serves as the president of the Senate. In the even of a tie vote, the Vice President will cast the tie breaking vote. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 representatives, apportioned among the states based on population. Each representative is elected to a two-year term. The majority party, either the Democrats or Republicans, elects from among its members the Speaker of the House. The Speaker of the House is the leader of the House of Representatives and is second in the line of succession for the presidency, behind the Vice President. The drafters of the Constitution intended for the legislature to be the most powerful branch of government. The 20th century, however, saw a dramatic expansion in the power of the executive branch, and as a result, some commentators argue that the legislature is no longer the most important branch. Regardless of whether is this true, the legislature still retains the ultimate power within the federal government. The power to tax and spend.
 
The legislature is comprised of two branches, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is made up of 100 senators, two per state, who are elected for a term of six years. The Vice President of the United States also serves as the president of the Senate. In the even of a tie vote, the Vice President will cast the tie breaking vote. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 representatives, apportioned among the states based on population. Each representative is elected to a two-year term. The majority party, either the Democrats or Republicans, elects from among its members the Speaker of the House. The Speaker of the House is the leader of the House of Representatives and is second in the line of succession for the presidency, behind the Vice President. The drafters of the Constitution intended for the legislature to be the most powerful branch of government. The 20th century, however, saw a dramatic expansion in the power of the executive branch, and as a result, some commentators argue that the legislature is no longer the most important branch. Regardless of whether is this true, the legislature still retains the ultimate power within the federal government. The power to tax and spend.
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The executive branch oversees the administration of the state bureaucracy. Article II Section 1 of the Constitution grants the executive power in the President and creates the office Vice President. The President serves as the head of state, commander-in-chief, and chief executive of the federal government.  As commander-in-chief, the President is the supreme commander of the armed forces. In his role as chief executive, the President oversees the administration of the executive agencies. The executive branch makes up roughly 1.844 million of the nearly 2 million federal workers.
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The judicial branch is comprised of the federal courts: the Supreme Court, the United Court of Appeals, the United States District Courts, the United States Bankruptcy Courts, and the United States Courts of Special Jurisdiction. The Supreme Court, the highest court, currently consists of nine Justices.  The Supreme Court is the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution. Below the Supreme Court is the appeals court. The court of appeals is organized by circuits, of which there are 12. Underneath the court of appeals are the district courts. The district courts are the federal trial courts. The district courts are divided by judicial district, with at least one district in each state. There are 94 federal districts.
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In addition to the federal government, each state has its own government and constitution. While given a certain level of independence from the federal government, the states, and the states' constitutions, are required to act within the bounds of the United States Constitution.
  
 
==Type of System==
 
==Type of System==

Revision as of 14:52, 7 April 2011

UNITED STATES CRIMINAL DEFENSE MANUAL

CODES

LEGAL RESOURCES

LEGAL TRAINING RESOURCE CENTER

Background

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic made up of fifty states and one federal district. The United State's capital is Washington D.C. On April 19, 1775, began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The following year, on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The 4th of July is now recognized in the United States as Independence Day. On November 15, 1777, the Second Continental Congress submitted the Articles of Confederation for ratification by the states. The Articles of Confederation remained in effect through the end of the Revolutionary War, September 3, 1783, up until it was superseded by the Constitution on September 17, 1787.

The Constitution is the supreme law of the Untied States. It creates the three branches of the federal government: the legislature, the executive branch, and the judicial branch.

The legislature is comprised of two branches, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is made up of 100 senators, two per state, who are elected for a term of six years. The Vice President of the United States also serves as the president of the Senate. In the even of a tie vote, the Vice President will cast the tie breaking vote. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 representatives, apportioned among the states based on population. Each representative is elected to a two-year term. The majority party, either the Democrats or Republicans, elects from among its members the Speaker of the House. The Speaker of the House is the leader of the House of Representatives and is second in the line of succession for the presidency, behind the Vice President. The drafters of the Constitution intended for the legislature to be the most powerful branch of government. The 20th century, however, saw a dramatic expansion in the power of the executive branch, and as a result, some commentators argue that the legislature is no longer the most important branch. Regardless of whether is this true, the legislature still retains the ultimate power within the federal government. The power to tax and spend.

The executive branch oversees the administration of the state bureaucracy. Article II Section 1 of the Constitution grants the executive power in the President and creates the office Vice President. The President serves as the head of state, commander-in-chief, and chief executive of the federal government. As commander-in-chief, the President is the supreme commander of the armed forces. In his role as chief executive, the President oversees the administration of the executive agencies. The executive branch makes up roughly 1.844 million of the nearly 2 million federal workers.

The judicial branch is comprised of the federal courts: the Supreme Court, the United Court of Appeals, the United States District Courts, the United States Bankruptcy Courts, and the United States Courts of Special Jurisdiction. The Supreme Court, the highest court, currently consists of nine Justices. The Supreme Court is the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution. Below the Supreme Court is the appeals court. The court of appeals is organized by circuits, of which there are 12. Underneath the court of appeals are the district courts. The district courts are the federal trial courts. The district courts are divided by judicial district, with at least one district in each state. There are 94 federal districts.

In addition to the federal government, each state has its own government and constitution. While given a certain level of independence from the federal government, the states, and the states' constitutions, are required to act within the bounds of the United States Constitution.

Type of System

Source of Defendants' Rights

Defendants' Rights

Pre-trial

Trial


See Criminal Justice Systems Around the World

QUICK FACTS

  • 2009 Prison Population: 2,297,400 / 748 people per 100,000, the highest in the world on a per capita basis
  • 200,000 of these prisoners are over 50 years of age
  • 110.1% prison occupancy level (based on official capacity)