From learning the basic definition of a law to understanding how a case reaches the Supreme Court, this essential reference tool provides over 500 questions and accessible answers on the complex subject of the U.S. court system.''''Whether used by a citizen inquiring about jury duty or a student needing to grasp the intricacies of types of laws, CQ's Desk Reference on American Courts provides the answers on such topics as:'' ''Explanations of the judicial process and procedures.''''State and federal court institutions.''''Definitions, concepts, and terms.''''Discussions of important cases and interesting firsts.''''