| United States Marshals Service |
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| The United States Marshals Service is a federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. U.S. Marshals are appointed by the President of the United States or the Attorney General of the United States. The mission of the U.S. Marshals is to protect the federal courts and to ensure the efficient operation of the judicial system. More... |
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| Domestic Violence, Firearms, and the Courts |
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| Domestic violence against women is increasingly common in the United States. The United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, estimates that at least one million violent crimes are committed against former spouses or intimate partners each year. The vast majority of these victims are women. Prior domestic violence and the abuser's access to a firearm greatly increase the likelihood that a female intimate partner will become a homicide victim. More... |
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| The Jurisdiction of a Federal Court |
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| Jurisdiction refers to the authority of a court to hear and decide a case. A federal court's authority to hear a specific case comes from the United States Constitution and federal laws. It is necessary for a federal court to have both subject matter jurisdiction (power over the legal matter involved in the case) and personal jurisdiction (power over the parties to the lawsuit) for the court to make a legally valid decision in a case. More... |
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| Personal Representatives |
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| When a person dies, state law establishes legal procedures for settling the deceased person's estate. This process is called probate. If the person has a will, he/she may name someone to serve as personal representative. A personal representative is the executor or administrator of a deceased person's estate. In some states, the terms executor and administrator are used in place of personal representative. If no personal representative is specified by will or if the person dies intestate (without a will), the probate court will appoint someone to serve as personal representative.
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| Guardians ad Litem |
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| Guardian ad litem is a Latin term meaning "guardian at law." A guardian ad litem is a person appointed by the court to speak on behalf of a child and to protect the rights of the child during court proceedings. In some states, a guardian ad litem has to be a licensed attorney. In other states, a guardian ad litem does not have to be an attorney but must have special training and/or certification to be eligible to perform the functions of a guardian ad litem.
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