Criminal Justice Systems

3 Components of the Criminal Justice System (CJS)

1. Police

2. Courts

3. Corrections

Law Enforcement Agencies

1. City Police (approximately 535 agencies)

2. County Police (12 agencies)

3. Sheriff’s Office (159 counties; one in every county of Georgia)

Municipal Court

• 370 courts, No Trials, Limited Jurisdiction

• Aka. Records, Police, City, Mayor’s Courts

• Ordinance violations

• Criminal Preliminaries

• Traffic Violations

Magistrate Court

• 159 courts (one in every county); No Juries; Limited jurisdiction

Probate Court

• 159 courts (one in every county); Handles wills, estates, and guardianships.

• No juries; limited jurisdiction

Juvenile Courts

• 159 courts; one for each county

• limited jurisdiction

State Court

• 71 Courts

• Limited Jurisdiction

• Jury Trials

Superior Court

• 49 Circuits/159 Courts

• General Jurisdiction

• Holds jury trials

• All felonies

• Highest court in which a jury trial will be held

GA Court of Appeals

• Only hears appeals from the Superior Court

Georgia Supreme Court

• 9 judges (to have a tie-breaking vote)

• Hears appeals from the Court of Appeals

The US Court System

• District Court (Trial, Federal Level; GA is in the 11th Circuit)

• US Court of Appeals: hear appeals from the District Courts

• SCOTUS: Hears appeals from the US Court of Appeals

  • Has exclusive original jurisdiction in certain instances (not a cop thing)

The Criminal Justice Process

1. Pre-arrest Investigation

2. Arrest

3. Booking

4. Initial Court Appearance (Magistrate Court)

5. Preliminary Hearing (most arrests lost here; dismissed)

6. Determination of Formal Charges (Indictment)

7. Arraignment

8. The Trial Process

9. Sentencing

10. Appeals and Release