There are different actors in the courtroom, and each has a specific role in how a trial or session will progress. There are also differences between the federal and state courts that are important to understand. In this assignment, you outline details about the actors in the courtroom and federal and state courts. This assignment is meant to help you understand the courts and prepare you to participate in the courtroom process. 

Imagine you are a court administrator for the local superior court. You have been asked to speak to a high school civics class. Specifically, the teacher would like you to provide a general overview of federal and state courts and discuss the primary actors in each court system. 

Create a presentation in which you: 

Identify actors in the courtroom. 

Who are the actors in federal courts and state courts? (Include actors the 2 courts have in common and any actors who are different.) 

What are their responsibilities? 

Why is it important for these responsibilities to be fulfilled adequately? (Consider the effect of overzealousness compared to the effect of underperformance.) 

Identify what is different between these actors in federal courts from the same actors in the state courts. 

Judges 

Defense attorneys 

Prosecutors 

Juries 

Contrast federal and state (your state or the state you’re from) courts (consider creating a diagram/chart/table). 

Structure 

Jurisdiction 

Roles of each court 

Case types 

Include detailed speaker notes.