1. I am seeing my boss about a pay rise in two hours. – I see. That’s why you are wearing a suit and a tie. 2. John is a very rude person, you know. – I know. Sheila has been very rude these days too, although she is usually very polite. 3. Who has been wearing my raincoat? It’s all wet! Jane! Why do you always wear my clothes? 4. I could tell she had been crying because her eyes were red. 5. I had been driving for two hours when I saw a small lake. 6. Does you tooth really hurt? – Yes, I am seeing the dentist tomorrow. 7. I have ironed the skirt but it’s crumpled again. 8. She had been singing for years before she became a star. 9. She has worked for him for 10 years but now she has a much better job.
Virtually all cases, whether civil or criminal, begin in a trial court. If the case is a criminal one, the trial court arraigns the defendant, sets bail, conducts a trial (or takes a guilty plea), and imposes sentence if the defendant is found guilty. If the case is a civil one, the trial court operates in much the same fashion, ensuring that each party is properly informed of the complaint, conducting a trial or accepting an out-of-court settlement, and awarding damages. Because only trial courts hear disputes over facts, it is only in trial courts that witnesses appear. Trial courts are considered finders of fact, and the decision of a judge (or jury) about a factual dispute normally cannot be appealed. (In Louisiana and Wisconsin, however, trial court findings of fact in civil cases are appealable.) In theory, every trial court decision may be appealed, but most cases are settled without a trial, so appeals are rarely filed.
1. I am seeing my boss about a pay rise in two hours. – I see. That’s why you are wearing a suit and a tie. 2. John is a very rude person, you know. – I know. Sheila has been very rude these days too, although she is usually very polite. 3. Who has been wearing my raincoat? It’s all wet! Jane! Why do you always wear my clothes? 4. I could tell she had been crying because her eyes were red. 5. I had been driving for two hours when I saw a small lake. 6. Does you tooth really hurt? – Yes, I am seeing the dentist tomorrow. 7. I have ironed the skirt but it’s crumpled again. 8. She had been singing for years before she became a star. 9. She has worked for him for 10 years but now she has a much better job.