In some counties, the General Sessions Court judges also serve as Juvenile Court judges. If you have a friend who breaks the law, such as stealing or skipping school, or who is not cared for by his or her parents, a Juvenile Court judge may become involved. Finally, there are the Municipal Courts in which judges hear cases involving violations of city laws, such as letting your dog run loose in a city where that is not allowed. As you now know, the judicial system is very important to all of us in many different ways. One of the most important things it does is make sure that no one does something to us that is not allowed by our state and federal constitutions.
Courts serve as a check on the powers of both the legislative and executive branches.
The court system has many other responsibilities too. Courts do things every day that affect you or someone you know. Those are just a few of the things courts do. Courts also punish criminals, sometimes by sending them to jail. But, they also find that some people who have been accused of crimes did not break the law and are innocent.