A branch of government with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes and administer justice in accordance with law. It is generally considered to be one of the most important institutions in any society as it provides for the enforcement and protection of rights, freedoms and fundamental values and principles of a community.
Courts differ in their structure and organization. They may have either a parliamentary system (e.g., England, Canada, Australia and many countries modeled on the English legal system) or a constitutional system as found in the United States and other nations that have adopted the American model. Both systems operate under the common law and civil law traditions.
The term is also used to refer to a judge or presiding sheriff, collectively known as “the bench,” as well as the judicial staff and court social workers who help manage court proceedings and the work of judges. The bench is usually located in a room designed specifically for hearing cases. It is often partially or completely wood-paneled as a matter of style. It is usually placed directly opposite the jury box and slightly raised so that any solicitor examining a witness will be able to get a good view of the testimony. Seats for witnesses are in the front of the room and seats for members of the public are at the back of the room.
The most critical power of a court is its institutional legitimacy. A court’s legitimacy is the degree to which its decisions are respected, acquiesced to and accepted by its constituents as being principled and independent of ideology and politics. When courts are seen as political actors advancing their own interests and preferences, they lose this essential power.
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