C3.3(3)
• 49 states have a bicameral legislature
– 2 houses
• House of Rep and Senate
• Nebraska has a unicameral legislature
– One house
• States are divided into districts
– Each district should have about the same
population
C3.3(3)
• Michigan’s capital:
– Lansing
• Legislative Branch
– State divided into 15 congressional districts
– 110 Representatives
– 38 Senators
• Difference between state and federal rep’s
– State: works in state capital
– Federal: works in Wash, D.C.
C3.3(3)
• Executive Branch
– Governor
– Acts much like the president of the state
– Lieutenant Governor
• Acts much like the V.P. of the state
– Secretary of State
• Keeps state records
• Carries out election laws
– Attorney General
• Takes care of the state’s legal issues
– State Treasurer
• Supervises the collection of state taxes
C3.3(3)
• State Courts
– Judges are elected
– Criminal Cases
• Deal with violations of the law
– Civil Cases
• Deal with disputes between individuals or businesses
• Plaintiff
– Person or business filing a complaint
C3.3(3)
• Michigan Court System Structure
– Trial Courts (lowest level)
• Circuit
– civil cases with claims of more than $25,000 and all felony
criminal cases
» if found guilty, could be sent to prison
• District
– traffic violations, all civil cases with claims up to $25,000,
– most traffic tickets, and all misdemeanor criminal cases
» if found guilty, cannot be sentenced to more than one
year in jail
• Probate
– wills,
– appoints guardians
C3.3(3)
• Courts of Appeal (middle level)
– Hear appeals of lower court decisions
• Supreme Court (highest level)
C3.3(3)
• How We Pay for State and Local Gov’t