What is a court?

A court is an institution or body of people established to resolve legal disputes. In the United States, there are three levels of courts: federal, state, and local. In Washington, there are federal, state, and municipal courts. Each of these courts is responsible for addressing different types of cases. Federal courts are the highest level of court in the United States. The United States Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and is responsible for settling disputes between states and reviewing cases involving constitutional matters. State courts are responsible for addressing criminal and civil cases between individuals and organizations, as well as reviewing decisions made in lower courts. In Washington, the highest court is the Washington Supreme Court. Local courts are responsible for addressing local matters, such as traffic violations and small claims cases. In Washington, there are municipal courts, which handle matters related to local city and county ordinances. Some cases may span multiple levels of court. In these cases, the lower court will make a decision and the case can be appealed to the higher court. Ultimately, the highest court in the system will make a decision that will be binding for all lower courts in the system.

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