The judicial branch in Texas functions the same way as the federal branch and its role is to interpret the laws. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is the chief legal and law enforcement officer for the State of Texas. The judicial branch oversees the application and development of laws to ensure they operate within the framework of the original charters of government power. The judiciary checks the power of both the legislature and the executive by declaring whether laws and enactments passed are unconstitutional. The Texas judicial branch resolves disputes and determines whether someone is guilty or innocent when accused of violating the law. It also regulates the assets of the deceased. It runs jails and prisons, monitors parolees and, in extreme cases, carries out the death penalty on people convicted of a capital crime. The Texas Judicial Department includes five levels of courts. The lower levels are the courts of first instance, similar to the federal system. Appellate courts hear appeals of both civil and criminal cases from lower courts. Unlike the federal system, the top of the Texas judicial hierarchy is divided into two supreme courts, the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Texas Supreme Court for Civil Matters.