Court is a government institution that settles legal disputes and administers justice. Courts resolve conflicts involving individuals, organizations, and governments. Courts also decide the legal guilt or innocence of individuals accused of crimes and sentence the guilty.
All courts are presided over by judges. These officials decide all questions of law, including what evidence is fair to use. In many cases, the judge also decides the truth or falsity of each side's claims. In other cases, a jury decides any questions of fact. The word court may refer to a judge alone or to a judge and jury acting together. It also may refer to the place where legal disputes are settled.
Some court rulings affect only the people involved in a case. Other decisions deal with broad public issues, such as freedom of the press, racial discrimination, and the rights of individuals accused of a crime. In this way, courts serve as a powerful means of social and political change.
