| Servicemembers Civil Relief Act |
|
| In December 2003, President Bush signed the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (Act), a law to reduce the economic and legal burdens of military personnel. The Act updates prior laws and gives servicemembers on active duty added protections. The Act also applies to reservists who have been called up for active duty. This article covers some of the most important provisions in the Act. More... |
|
|
| Is Judicial Independence in Jeopardy? |
|
| Our governmental system contains checks and balances, which are designed to prevent any branch of government--executive, legislative, or judicial--from becoming too powerful. The independence of the judiciary is one of the central principles of a democracy. Judicial independence allows judges to make rulings that are based on legal principles instead of politics or public opinion. The independence of the court system assures fair and impartial rulings in legal matters. The Founding Fathers intentionally made the process of removing judges from office a difficult one, so that judges would be insulated from public pressure and could render decisions based on a careful analysis of the applicable law. More... |
|
|
| Privacy and Public Access to Court Records |
|
| Court records include the case file of a lawsuit, records of any hearings, and information the court or clerk court prepares in connection with any judicial proceeding. A court's management information and data (budgets, reports, and statistics) are also considered court records. Since computers make it easy to gather and store information, many courts have developed databases of information. This database is also considered a court record. More... |
|
|
| Sunshine Laws |
|
| States have enacted Sunshine Laws to ensure governmental integrity and accountability. Sunshine Laws require governmental bodies (commissions, boards, advisory committees, and agencies) to hold open public meetings, deliberations, and votes, unless otherwise provided by law. Sunshine Laws also guarantee public access to the records of governmental bodies, unless provided otherwise by law. More... |
|
|
| The Court's Management of High-Profile Cases |
|
| Courts are sometimes faced with managing high-profile or notorious cases. The media frenzy surrounding such trials can make it a challenge to provide a fair trial, a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Besides celebrity cases, the courts face special challenges in handling brutal murder cases. More... |
|
|