Is the authority of a court to hear a case first, thus determining the facts of the case?

Yes, because there are witnesses in the court room to hear the case before any other facts are stated, meaning: exp... Someone gets charged with theft over $1000, the come to court and show but have nobody to stick up for them such as an attorney. There are several people off to the side hearing the case, before they start saying the facts they have to hear the Defendents side first