Editing Court (section)

== Description ==
A court is any [[person]] or [[institution]], often as a [[government]] institution, with the authority to [[adjudicate]] [[legal dispute]]s between [[party (law)|parties]] and carry out the [[administration of justice]] in [[Civil law (common law)|civil]], [[Criminal law|criminal]], and [[Administrative law|administrative]] matters in accordance with the [[rule of law]].<ref name="Walker">{{cite book |last=Walker |first=David |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont0000walk |title=The Oxford Companion to Law |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=1980 |isbn=0-19-866110-X |place=Oxford |page=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont0000walk/page/301 301] |url-access=registration}}</ref> In both [[common law]] and [[civil law (legal system)|civil law]] [[legal system]]s, courts are the central means for [[dispute resolution]], and it is generally understood that all people have an ability to bring their claims before a court. Similarly, the [[criminal procedure|rights of those accused]] of a crime include the right to present a [[criminal defense|defense]] before a court.

The system of courts that interprets and applies the [[law]] is collectively known as the [[judiciary]]. The place where a court sits is known as a [[Venue (law)|venue]]. The room where court proceedings occur is known as a [[courtroom]], and the building as a [[courthouse]]; court facilities range from simple and very small facilities in rural communities to large complex facilities in urban communities.

The practical authority given to the court is known as its [[jurisdiction]] (from Latin {{lang|la|iūrisdictiō}}, from {{lang|la|iūris}}, "of the [[law]]", + {{lang|la|dīcō}}, "to declare", + {{lang|la|-tiō}}, ''noun-forming suffix''), the court's power to decide certain kinds of questions or petitions put to it. According to [[William Blackstone]]'s ''[[Commentaries on the Laws of England]],'' a court (for [[civil wrong]]s) is constituted by a minimum of three parties: the {{Lang|la|āctor}} or [[plaintiff]], who complains of an injury done; the {{Lang|la|reus}} or [[defendant]], who is called upon to make satisfaction for it; and the {{Lang|la|jūdex}} or judicial power, who is to examine the truth of the fact, determine the law arising upon that fact, and, if any injury appears to have been done, ascertain and by its [[Officer of the court|officers]] apply a [[legal remedy]]. It is also usual in the superior courts to have barristers, and attorneys or counsel, as assistants,<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England – Book the Third – Chapter the Third : Of Courts in General |url=http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/blackstone_bk3ch3.asp |access-date=23 December 2017 |website=Avalon Project}}</ref> though, often, courts consist of additional barristers, [[bailiff]]s, [[reporter (law)|reporters]], and perhaps a [[jury]].