c i g b - ncsc
TRANSCRIPT
A Coloring
Book
Dear Readers,
In the United States, the government is divided into three branches of government:the executive branch (the president), the legislative branch(the Congress), and the judicialbranch (the courts.)
The judicial branch is the one that many people don’t understand, and it’s what thiscoloring book is all about.
The courts belong to you – thestudents, parents, teachers andall people who live in this country. In “The Case of theBroken Controller,” you will follow the story of Tyler, whowants justice because he says hisfriend broke his videogame controller. Through Tyler’s journey for justice, we hope youwill learn about the court system, how it protects you andyour family and about the menand women who work in thecourts.
Justice Case Files:
The Case of the Broken Controller
Justice Case Files -- Issue 04. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or anymeans, without the express written permission of the National Center for State Courts. Names, characters, places andincidents featured in this publication are based in reality but entirely fictional. Printed in the United States.
The story, illustrations and book design were created by
BENTLEY BOYDMore information on his civics cartoons can be found at
www.chestercomix.com
MANAGING EDITOR
EDITORIAL BOARD
LORRI W. MONTGOMERY
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING,
NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS
THE MESSAGE AND CONTENT OF THIS
BOOK WAS EDITED BY THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS OF THE NATIONAL CENTER
FOR STATE COURTS, WITH PARTICULAR
INVOLVEMENT OF THE BOARD’S PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE UNDER THE
DIRECTION OF ATTORNEY AND TV LEGAL
ANALYST MANNY MEDRANO.
THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE
COURTS’ BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS MADE
UP OF CHIEF JUSTICES FROM THE STATE
COURTS OF LAST RESORT, JUDGES,
GENERAL COUNSEL, STATE COURT
ADMINISTRATORS, ATTORNEYS AND
NCSC PRESIDENT MARY C. McQUEEN.
NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS
MARY CAMPBELL McQUEEN
PRESIDENT
ONE EVENING AT THE DINING ROOM TABLE . . .
DYLAN BROKE MYVIDEOGAME CONTROLLER!
YOU GOTTA HEL P ME!
OK, TYLER,HOW CAN I HELP??
YOU WORK WITH THEPOLICE! ARREST HIM OR SOMETHING!!
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ISN’T THIS WEEK THE “TAKEYOUR KIDTO WORK”
DAY?
THAT IS NOTQUITE HOWIT WORKS.
I WORK WITH THECOURTS, WHICH IS WHERE-
THE COURTSCAN MAKE
HIM PAY ME!
YEAH! RIGHT!PLEEEEEASE,MOM! HELP!!
I’LL TAKE YOU -- I F
YOU PROMISETO PAY
ATTENTION.
WELL...
YOU MEAN,LIKE...
LEARNING?!
GEEZ!!
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IN THE UNITEDSTATES WEHAVE THREEBRANCHES OFGOVERNMENT.
TWO DAYS LATER ...
THIS IS THEGOVERNMENTCENTER, TYLER.
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TO SETTLE ANARGUMENT AFTER
AN INCIDENT (LIKE THE BREAKING
OF YOUR GAME CONTROLLER) WE GO TO THE
JU D I C I A L
BRANCH.
LAWS ARE MADE BY THE L EG ISLAT IVE
BRANCH.
THE POLICE WHO ENFORCETHOSE LAWS
ARE PART OF THEEXECUT IVE
BRANCH.
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I’M BROKE!NO MONEY.SO I AM
DECLARINGBANKRUPTCY.
WE ARE TALKING TO THE JUDGEABOUT SHARING CUSTODY OF OUR
CHILDREN AFTER OUR DIVORCE.
WE’RE GETTING MARRIED!
I GOTCAUGHT
SHOPLIFTINGAT A STORE.
LOOK WHO ELSE IS ATCOURT TODAY ...
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THE COURTS BELONG TO ALL THE PEOPLE. THECOURTS PROTECT PEOPLE AND THEIR RIGHTS.
THE DOORWAY TO THE COURTS IS THROUGHTHE UN ITED STATES CONST ITUT ION,
WHICH ORGANIZES OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND DESCRIBES OUR
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.
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GOOD MORNING, MR.KOKUBO! WE MAY HAVE
A CASE FOR JUDGEARMSTRONG TODAY.
WHOA!
SLOW DOWN,PLEASE.
DYLAN
BROKE MY
--
WE WANTTO BE
CALM ANDCAREFUL IN HERE.
YOU CAN’T JUST CHARGE IN HERE TO
GET JUST ICE.
DECIDING RIGHTFROM WRONG IS
SERIOUS BUSINESS.
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TURNCELL
PHONESOFF,
PLEASE.
YOU DON’T SPEAKUNLESS YOU AREASKED TO BY A
JUDGE OR LAWYER.
AND YOU SHOWRESPECT FOR ALL OFTHE PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF THE JUDICIAL PROCESS.
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I AM A BA I L I F F . I AM A COURT OFFICIAL
(USUALLY A DEPUTYSHERIFF) WHO KEEPSORDER IN THE COURT.
I AM AN I N T ER PR ETER . I HELP NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERSAND THE HEARING IMPAIREDUNDERSTAND WHAT IS SAID.
GULP!
COOL!
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I AM A LAWYER . SINCECOURTS ARE IMPORTANTTO OUR DEMOCRACY, YOUWANT MY HELP TO MAKE
THE STRONGEST ARGUMENT IN YOUR
COURT CASE.
I AM A D E F ENS E
ATTORNE Y . IF YOU ARE
ACCUSED OF ACRIME, YOU HIRE ME TO
REPRESENT YOUIN THE COURTCASE. IF YOUCANNOT PAY, THE COURTASSIGNS ME
TO REPRESENT YOU, AT PUBLIC
EXPENSE.
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I DON’TNEED ADEFENSELAWYER.DY LAN
BROKE THIS!
ARREST
H IM ! ! !
HMMM. IF TWO PEOPLE DISAGREE,THEY HAVE A C IV I L
COURT CASE. I COULD HELPYOU START AL AWSU IT TODEMAND THAT
DYLAN FIX YOUR GAMECONTROLLER.
AND I WORK IN CR IM I NA L
COURT
CASES WHEREA CRIMINAL
LAW HAS BEENBROKEN. BUTYOUR PROBLEM
DOESN’TSOUND
CRIMINAL.
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WE COULD GET A JURY TOHELP US SORT THIS OUT. AJURY IS A PANEL (ANYWHEREFROM SIX TO 12 CITIZENS)
PICKED TO HEAR THE EVIDENCEOF A CASE AND THEN DECIDEWHO WINS THE COURT CASE.
SERVING ON A JURY IS PART OF A CITIZEN’S RESPONSIBILITY. HAVING
PEOPLE HEAR THE CASES OF OTHERSJUST LIKE THEM KEEPS OUR COURT
SYSTEM STRONG AND FAIR.
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BUT MANY CASES AREDECIDED BY A JUDGE
WHO CAN --
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I HELP PEOPLE SOLVE PROBLEMS. IT’S A JUDGE’S JOB TO
KNOW THE LAW ANDDECIDE IF LAWS HAVE
BEEN BROKEN.
HI, TYLER. IUNDERSTANDYOU HAVE A
DISAGREEMENTWITH ONE OFYOUR FRIENDS.
DYLAN ASKED ME TOHIS SLEEPOVER, AND
I BROUGHT MY CONTROLLER SO WECOULD ALL PLAY --AND HE BROKE IT!!
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SO YOU CHOSE TO BRING YOUR CONTROLLER
TO DYLAN’S PARTY?
... YOURHONOR.
YES, MRS.JUDGE.
“YOURHONOR.”
AND WHEN DYLAN ASKED TO USE YOUR CONTROLLERON THE GAME, YOU AGREED?
... YOURHONOR.
... UMMMYES.
HMM. SOUNDS LIKE A COMPLICATED CASE.IT’S MY JOB TO LISTEN TO EVERYONE’SSTORY AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS
TREATED FAIRLY. IS DYLAN HERE TODAY?
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IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU AND DYLAN BOTH HAVE
SOME RESPONSIBILITY FORTHE BROKEN CONTROLLER.WHY DON’T YOU TRY TOWORK THIS OUT WITH
HIM DIRECTLY?
IT’S BETTER TO SOLVEPROBLEMS LIKE THIS
BETWEEN YOURSELVES,WITHOUT COMING TO
COURT. IF NOTHING ELSEWORKS, THEN I CAN BEYOUR PROBLEM SOLVER.
WELL, TO BE FAIR, DYLAN WOULD NEED TO BE HERE AS HIS OWN WI T N E S S -- A PERSON WHO TALKS UNDER OATH ABOUTFACTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO A CASE.
... YOURHONOR.
... UMMMNO.
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IN SOME STATES JUDGES ARE ELECTED BY A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE IN A COMMUNITY. IN
OTHER STATES JUDGESARE PICKED BY THE
GOVERNOR OR LEGISLATURE. DO YOU
WANT TO BE A JUDGE?
SIGH ...
“HERHONOR”WAS
PRETTYSMART..
HOW DOYOU GETTO BE AJUDGE?
MOM, YOU K N OW
I’M GOING TO BEA GOAL I E!
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