Criminal Justice Practice Exam

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Prepare for the Criminal Justice Test with our study materials. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations. Ace your exam confidently!

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A court of ___ jurisdiction has the authority to hear a case when it is first brought to court.

general
original
appellate
special

The correct answer is: original

A court of original jurisdiction is the correct answer because it refers to the authority of a court to hear a case for the first time. This type of jurisdiction means that the court has the power to consider both the facts and the law of the case as it is presented. In original jurisdiction, the court can conduct trials, hear witnesses, and make determinations based on the evidence. In contrast, general jurisdiction refers to a court's ability to hear a wide range of cases, not limited to a specific type of legal issue. Appellate jurisdiction, on the other hand, is the authority of a court to review and perhaps revise the decision of a lower court, which does not involve hearing the case for the first time. Lastly, special jurisdiction pertains to courts that are limited to specific types of cases, which again do not encompass the initial hearing of a case in the way a court of original jurisdiction does. Therefore, the concept of original jurisdiction directly pertains to the initial trial phase of the legal process.