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!!

2

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.

8

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!

9

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.

10

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.

11

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.

12

BUT MANY CASES AREDECIDED BY A JUDGE

WHO CAN --

13

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.

16

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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