1. DO-NOW
 We will complete a do-now after WSMS.
 It’s been 4 days since you thought about civics…you
might want to look over your notes on Virginia’s
executive branch during WSMS.

2. DO-NOW
 Please work on your do-now silently.

3. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Good weekend?!
Republican debate tonight on CNBC at 8pm
Study guide due Friday
Project questions?

4. REVIEW
 What did we do…last Friday?
 What activities did we do?
 What information did we learn?

5. Take out
SORTING HAT TIME! your
homework!

6. VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 The Virginia Department of Education is a part of the
executive branch of Virginia. How?
 What all do they do that af fects us?

7. VIRGINIA’S JUDICIAL Unit: State &
Local Govts
BRANCH

8. TAKE-HOME POINT
Do you think the Virginia court system
establishes justice? Explain your position.

9. TODAY’S AGENDA
 Do-Now
 Announcements + Review + Sorting Hat
 State Judicial Branch/ Virginia Court System
 Video Clip- “She’s a WITCH!”
 Notes
 Primary Sourcin’ It
 Quel Court?!- Worksheet-style- potentially hw
 Take-Home Point

10. VIDEO CLIP
 Has anyone ever seen Monty Python and the Holy
Grail?
 As we watch the video clip, ask yourself “Is justice
taking place here?”

11. Virginia’s
NOTES! Court
System

12. VIRGINIA’S COURT SYSTEM
Virginia has its own I’m the Albemarle
separate court County Courthouse.
system whose I bet you could get
organization and community service
jurisdiction come hours if you visited
from Virginia’s me! Lolz.
constitution and
state laws.
The present judicial
system in Virginia is
made up of 4 levels
of courts.

13. VIRGINIA’S COURT SYSTEM
The most supreme of
the Virginia courts is
the Virginia Supreme
Court. It has 6
justices, a chief
justice, and no jury. It
has appellate
jurisdiction and
limited original The Virginia Supreme Court is located
in Richmond, the capital city of VA.
jurisdiction.

14. VIRGINIA’S COURT SYSTEM
 Underneath the Virginia Court of Appeals of Virginia
Supreme Court is the
next level of courts, the
Court of Appeals of
Virginia.
 Here, there are judges
and no juries. They have
appellate jurisdiction to
review decisions of
Circuit Courts.
Circuit Courts

15. VIRGINIA’S COURT SYSTEM
 The next level of courts Think of it like this- if you
are the Circuit Courts of wanted to buy a CD, first
Virginia. you’d go to Target or
Wal-Mart because it’s
 These courts have a cheaper there. Then you
judge and could be with might go to Circuit City or
or without a jury. Best Buy!!
 They have appellate
jurisdiction from District
Courts.
 They also have original
jurisdiction for felony
criminal cases and for
certain civil cases.

16. CIRCUIT COURTS
 Examples of cases these courts would hear with original
jurisdiction:
 Concurrent jurisdiction with general district courts for civil cases
dealing with the amounts $4,500-$25,000.
 Civil cases dealing with $25,000 or more
 Divorce matters
 Wills
 Adoptions
 All felonies that could be punished with at least 1 year sentence

17. VIRGINIA’S COURT SYSTEM
 The lowest level of courts
in Virginia are the General
District Court and Juvenile
and Domestic Relations
Court.
 There’s a judge but no
jury.
 They have original
jurisdiction for
misdemeanors and civil
cases generally involving
lower dollar amounts and
original jurisdiction in
juvenile and family cases.

18. GENERAL DISTRICT COURT & JUVENILE &
DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT
Examples of cases that would go to these
courts:
 Juvenile delinquencies and status offenses
 Juveniles accused of traffic violations
 Children in need of services or supervision
 Children subjected to abuse
 Disputes over custody of children

19. VIRGINIA’S COURT SYSTEM
 All of these courts hear both civil and criminal cases.
 The procedure for criminal case:
 A person accused of a crime may be arrested if the police
have probable cause.
 The accused may be committed to jail or released on bail.
 The case proceeds to an arraignment where probable
cause is reviewed, an attorney may be appointed for the
defendant, and a plea is entered.
 A court date is set, and a trial is conducted.
 A guilty verdict may be appealed.

20. VIRGINIA’S COURT SYSTEM
The procedure for a civil case is:
The plaintiff files a complaint to recover
damages or receive compensation.
Cases can be heard by a judge or a jury.
Cases can be appealed.

21. PRIMARY SOURCE Lookin’ at
a doc!
ANALYSIS

22. QUEL COURT?! Practice

23. TAKE-HOME POINT
Do you think the Virginia court system
establishes justice? Explain your position.