The Judicial Branch of Government

Bothered by the O. J. Simpson verdict? Is abortion, drug testing, criminal rights, school prayer, or property law a hot button issue with you? The judicial system affects our daily lives, yet it's the least understood of the three branches of U.S. government. This video takes us through the U.S. judicial system, from local courts up to the Supreme Court. Topics covered include the role of juries, questions of bias, legal interpretations, and the increasingly contentious relationship between the media and the courts. Explaining that the judicial system was part of the founding fathers' plan for checks and balances in government, the video also reviews the appeals process built into our system as a way of ensuring fairness and justice for all. The documentary takes up an actual case involving drug testing of school athletes as a case study on how the legal system works. Like too many videos made for young people, the filmmakers think odd camera angles and jump cuts make it more relevant to the audience (it doesn't.) The narrator also makes the inexcusable mistake of linking Watergate to the ‘68, not the ‘72 election. A purely optional purchase. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)