Nebraska State Court Structure and Federal Court Structure

Supreme Court

The highest court in the state, commonly referred to as the 'court of last resort.'

Chief Justice of Nebraska

Jeffrey Funke is the current chief justice.

Appeals Court

Reviews cases from juvenile, county, and district courts, except death sentence cases.

Composition of Nebraska's Court of Appeals

Consists of 6 judges, equally divided with 3 men and 3 women.

District Court

Handles felony cases and large civil cases over $70,000.

Sentences in District Court

Include death, prison, and probation.

County Court

Deals with misdemeanor cases, especially traffic offenses.

Civil cases in County Court

Involves damages under $70,000.

Juvenile Court

Three separate juvenile courts in Nebraska: Sarpy, Douglas, and Lancaster.

Probation and group homes

Most common dispositions in Juvenile Court.

Sentencing juveniles

Juveniles cannot be sentenced to jail.

United States Supreme Court

Hears approximately 60 cases a year that affect the entire country.

Justices of the United States Supreme Court

Consists of 8 justices and 1 chief justice, currently John Roberts.

Role of the United States Supreme Court

Protector of the constitution.

United States Appeals Court

Primarily reviews alleged errors from the U.S. District Court.

Location of Nebraska's U.S. Court of Appeals

Located in St. Louis.

Screening for U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Appeals Court screens cases before they reach the Supreme Court.

United States District Court

Hears civil and criminal cases, including immigration and drug cases.

Workhorses of the federal court system

The United States District Courts serve this role.

Number of U.S. District Courts

There are 94 U.S. District Courts across the country.

Civil cases over $70,000

Handled in District Court.

Common disposition for juveniles

Probation and group homes are the most common outcomes.

Composition of District Court

Handles serious legal cases, including felonies.

Justice structure comparison

Differences between state and federal court structures, including case types and appeals.

Cases affecting all of America

Hearing by the United States Supreme Court.

Judicial review

Function of appellate courts in addressing errors made by lower courts.

Court of last resort

Another term for the Supreme Court, indicating its ultimate authority.

Misdemeanor cases

Primarily handled in County Court, especially traffic offenses.