About Court
The purpose of courts is to apply existing laws to individual situations to make sure justice is administered fairly. This includes punishing those who break the law, settling disputes between citizens that they can’t resolve on their own, and protecting society from crime.
In addition, courts have a special role to play in providing checks and balances on other government institutions. Without this essential function, societies could easily degenerate into anarchy. Courts are not naturally and universally endowed with legitimacy, but they earn their legitimacy over time. They gain legitimacy by demonstrating their impartiality, consistency, and objectivity. And they maintain their legitimacy by upholding the rights and freedoms of all individuals.
Courts are the oldest, most established democratic institution. But they are not without their problems. Their decisions have been challenged, ignored, and even violently opposed throughout history. They have lost the power to enforce their decisions by force, and they lack the monetary inducements of other institutions of coercion (such as police and the military). Without these essential powers, courts lose their institutional legitimacy.
The presiding officer in a courtroom is the judge or judges, who are collectively known as the bench. In addition to the bench, there are seats for members of the public, who are called spectators. Many courts are wood-paneled, a style and tradition that dates to the Middle Ages. Depending on the jurisdiction, the bench may be partially or entirely enclosed behind bulletproof glass.