Working under and interpreting State law, these judges rule on matters of property, contracts, automobiles, criminal prosecutions, marriage and divorce, estates, and other issues. Their work largely shapes public attitudes toward the court system. Trial courts deal with and dispose of litigation, define the law that controls the elements of liability and criminality, and interpret and enforce limitations on legislative and executive power as well as on their own authority. The nature of their role rests on the events that shaped England's legal history. Crucial to their effective functioning in rural areas are appropriate selection and methods of assuring judicial independence.