TRIAL COURTS: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

Power Point Presentation


I.     Overview The Criminal Court Process

    A. Heightened Public Scrutiny

    B. Wide Discretion Throughout Process

    C. Tightly Knit Work Groups

II.     Categories of Domestic Crimes

    A. Conventional

    B. Economic

    C. Organized

    D. Political

    E. Hate

    F. Cybercrime  

E. Consensual

III.     Essential Elements of a Crime

    A. Statutory Basis

    B. Criminal Act (actus reus)

    C. Criminal Intent (mens rea)

    D. Court Determined Causal Relation of Action and Offense

    E. Resultant Determination of Offense Against Society

IV.     Criminal Procedures (flow chart)

    A. Formal Processes

        1. arrest (The Miranda Case)

        2. obtaining an attorney (Colorado:

            Public Defenders)

        3. initial appearance

        4. arraignment

        5. Grand Jury (History and Processes)-- Bill of Information

        6. pretrial events

            a.     motions

            b.     discovery

        7. trial

            a.     bench

            b.     juries (example; voir dire)

        8. jury instructions (example; affirmative defense)

        9. verdict (reasonable doubt standard)

        10.sentencing

    B.    Informal Processes    

        1. prosecutorial discretion

        2. plea bargaining

V.     Significant Issues and Participants       

    A. Rights of the Accused   

    B. Prosecution

    C. Defense

    D. Decision/Verdict

VI.     Post-Trial Events

    A. Sentencing (U.S. Sentencing Commission)

    B. Appeals


Key Web Sites

Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures

Landmark Supreme Court Criminal Procedure Rulings

Characteristics of U.S. Criminal Justice Systems

Criminal Justice in the U.S. (2001)

Evolution of Death Penalty In the U.S.

Criminal Offender Statistics

Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics

Court and Sentencing Statistics

Criminal Law

Anatomy of a Typical Criminal Trial

Technological Advances in the Court Room

Suggested Readings