...Courtroom Workgroup Bobbi Knapp CJA/204 August 3, 2015 A. Michael DeFranco Courtroom Workgroup The courtroom work group entails courtroom personnel including the judge, the bailiff, the court reporter, the clerk of court, the local court administrator, prosecuting attorney, the defenses counsel and expert witnesses. This group of individuals have frequent an ongoing interactions on a daily basis. As each member of the courtroom workgroup fulfill the duties their profession expects, they are bonded by their unanimous singular goal; to see justice prevail. All workgroup members are influenced by other members and have influence on other members of the workgroup. Stable and familiar relationships among members of the group are more likely to lead to stable and familiar close working relationships. This is more likely to lead to fewer formalities, less formal arrangements and better negotiations. The prosecutor is an imperative member of the courtroom workgroup. The prosecutor, more commonly known as the district attorney, is responsible for presenting the state’s case against the defendant and with the considerable prosecutorial discretion the position affords, singularly decides to bring charges or not against an individual in the first place. Before a prosecutor can present the state’s case, they first must decide to formally charge the accused. The codes and standards that govern the position of prosecutor hold the upmost importance on seeking justice for victims...
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...CAMERAS IN THE COURTROOM. Term Paper ID:19839 Get This Paper Free! or Buy This Paper Essay Subject: Right to fair trial vs. right of public to witness court proceedings & know what govt. is doing.... More... 7 Pages / 1575 Words 5 sources, 11 Citations, MLA Format $28.00 More Papers on This Topic Paper Abstract: Right to fair trial vs. right of public to witness court proceedings & know what govt. is doing. Paper Introduction: SHOULD CAMERAS BE ALLOWED IN THE COURTROOM? Introduction and Problem Statement Although the title of this research is broad, cameras, in the context of this paper, refers to television cameras. Courts in different jurisdictions in the United States impose differing restrictions on media coverage within courtrooms. Some jurisdictions do not allow cameras of any kind, requiring even the print media to employ artist sketches for any visual reporting of courtroom proceedings. Others permit the use of still cameras under controlled conditions. Few jurisdictions permit the unrestricted use of television cameras in courtrooms. Most jurisdictions that do permit television cameras in the courtroom do not permit continuous live coverage of the proceedings. Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while...
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...Michelle del Rosario Effective Leadership & Management Class - Barbara Miller Individual Paper March 14, 2013 The Application of the SCARF Model on the 2011 Re-Organization of SF Court Reporters I. INTRODUCTION On Friday, September 30, 2011, the San Francisco Superior Court (SFSC) laid-off a total of sixty-seven (67) employees, including twenty-nine (29) Certified Court Reporters. The Court started the fiscal year of 2011-2012 with a $13.75 million budget deficit, and had initially mailed out two hundred (200) pink slips in July, representing 41% of it’s staff. Fortunately, austerity measures (such as extending mandatory furlough days, enforcing voluntary unpaid time off, reducing office hours, and closing civil courtrooms) and very aggressive negotiations with the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) resulted in an additional $7.5 million that was used to salvage one hundred thirty-three (133) careers. September 30, 2011 was a devastating day to these sixty-seven (67) employees, and this paper will focus particularly on the effects of this re-organization on the emotions and reactions of the Court Reporters who were directly and indirectly affected. The SFSC website defines Court Reporters as “guardians of the record”. It is emphasized that not only are they Court employees, but they are also purveyors of transcripts for all interested parties. Their main job duties are providing legislated transcripts of criminal proceedings, and providing...
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...reality based television shows that depict the inner workings of a convicts mind and how the hero police officers, detectives, crime scene investigators and judges outwit, catch and then prosecute these lawbreakers. This exciting new fad has people watching these half hour shows and believing that they are entirely accurate. There are some television shows that use a great deal of fact in the creation of the show while other shows do not even come close. Since people have become enamored with courtroom based movies and television shows this has created a false sense of knowledge among common viewers that almost an entire nation believing that courtrooms consist of a defendant and a plaintiff (or a prosecuting attorney and a defense attorney) yelling back and forth at each other while a judge feverishly pounds his gavel on his podium in attempt to gain order in their courtroom. This is far from the way that an actual courtroom operates. Television shows will spark heated debate in a courtroom and solve each case in thirty minutes in order to collect ratings. According to Reality vs. Fantasy, “To...
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...Should Cameras Be Placed in Courtrooms So That Criminal Trials Can Be Televised? It is axiomatic in democracy that everyone has access to the justice system and has the right to know how those laws are enforced. This can be ensured by having trials in courtrooms televised. Whether to have cameras in courtrooms or not was a huge debate that began back in 1977 in Miami (May 2008). After a long debate higher court judges decided to allow trials to be televised in Miami. Those debates never ended because of different judges all over the world having different opinions. Personally speaking, cameras should be allowed in courtrooms so that criminal trials can be televised, to make it clear to people what circumstances they would face if they were to do anything illegal. In every country in the world laws are made in the parliament by the government in regards to the opinions of higher court judges. Many proceedings carried in the parliament are allowed to be televised so that citizens can know what the laws they should abide by are. The irony in televising parliament proceedings is that people are allowed to watch laws being made, but they cannot see how they are being enforced. If criminal trials are televised then people can know how those laws are being enforced and would be more cautious by restraining themselves from breaking the law. This is because they would know what the circumstances of their actions are, thanks to the televised criminal trials. In the United States...
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...As previously mentioned, the interactions between members of the courtroom workgroup effect how one group member responds to another. In the reading, this is one of the main problems that contribute to “ordinary injustice” in the criminal justice system. Since courtroom workgroups have forged a stable and familiar relationship with one another there has been hesitation to challenge one another’s misconduct. This exclusive relationship presents a negative reflection of the criminal justice system that outsiders can identify. One of the purposes of holding a trial is to resolve legal disputes through securing a fair and impartial court. Nevertheless, the lack of effort from prosecutors, and defense attorneys to further investigate the case or take the time to speak to...
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...Courtroom Players Response Ginger Robinson CJS/200 November 30, 2014 Lee Rankin Courtroom Players In most courtrooms, there are groups of essential players that work together on a regular basis. They are composed of a combination of professionals. These professional are the ones which understand all phases of a criminal trial, and they all work together in fulfilling the functions of the court. These courtroom workgroups are all of the professionals that aid in a court process. These professionals include the judge, the prosecuting attorneys, the defense attorneys, public defenders and all other persons which may work for the courts. These individuals work collectively with the basic purpose of conducting successful courtroom proceedings. Each of professional in the courtroom workgroup has their own set of responsibilities. The prosecutor is accountable for exhibiting the state’s evidence as well as presenting and preparing the state’s case against the accused. It is also the prosecuting attorneys responsibility to decide which matters should be tried or not. It is the prosecutor who makes these determinations based on a several sets of criteria. Most prosecutors will study the evidence against the accused, study the crime, as well as many other factors. If the criteria for taking a case were less stringent our society would be in for some extremely hard days because as it stands now prosecutors plea bargain so many instances and criminals get to serve less time or...
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...Robert Hickey CJS/ 201 March 14,2016 2 There are many different types of courts in the United States.The two types of court functions within the American Criminal Justice are state courts and the federal courts. This dual court system is the result of general agreement among the nations founders. The courtroom workgroup is an informal agreement between a criminal prosecutor, criminal defense attorney and the judicial officer (CJT 2015). These courtroom groups remain senior officers in court who determines the appropriateness of conduct (CJT 2015 pg276). The courtroom workgroup was proposed by Eisenstein and Jacob in 1977. Each member of the professional courtroom is dedicated to seeing a successful completion to the trial. In doing so they must follow a strict code of ethics as well as an almost reverent adherence of the law and its practice. At a state level, there are a limited number of judges and attorneys so there is a likelihood will develop and because of this personal feelings must be ignored and the pursuit of justice must be a top standard. The prosector plays an important role within the court system, they represent the rights of the citizens. This is assumed because the criminal charges pursed are an affront to the safety and security of the public. The prosector is responsible for presenting the people’s case against the defendant, and doing so in such a way that a conviction is likely. This likelihood is based on hard...
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...infallible statements of right/wrong, and they should not be used as grading elements. Also, at present, WritePoint cannot detect quotations or block-quotes, so comments in those areas should be ignored. Please see the other helpful writing resources in the Tutorials and Guides section of the Center for Writing Excellence. Thank you for using WritePoint. Courtroom [Make sure paragraph indentation is five to seven spaces or one tab stop] Work Group Mary C. Thomas CJ\204 October 15, 2012 Kimberly Haney Courtroom Work Group This paper will [Doctoral-level comment (but recommended for any collegiate writer)--Avoid anthropomorphisms (attributing human characteristics to nonhuman or inanimate objects). Consider that no paper can...
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...Week Three Read Me First criminal courts INTRODUCTION This week focuses on the criminal court system. Courts are typically limited in geographical jurisdiction and in the cases that they can hear. The United States has a dual court system in which the courts closely resemble and complement one another. The courts also have what is known as a courtroom work group that consists of the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, baliff, clerk, and court reporters. The roles of the courtroom workgroup will be discussed at length this week. This Week in Relation to the Course This week, you explore what happens after arrest. All offenders must go through a series of steps following arrest and detention. This process involves the court system and a number of players who have an integral role in the criminal justice system, such as mental health workers, probation officers, jurors, and so on. The defense attorney, prosecutor, and judge are three of the most important positions involved in this process. The roles of the prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, and other members of the court are examined. You learn about the options that judges consider when determining punishment. You also explore the premise of determinate and indeterminate sentencing and how it affects the actions of the court. The differences between the federal and the state courts and between adult and juvenile court systems are another important aspect of this week. You discuss the various steps during...
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...Courtroom Participants Team B: Sheena McCall, Idalia Gill, Neil Gabe, Billie Adams, and Dannielle Rea CJA/224 October 31, 2011 Austin Dunham Weidner Courtroom Participants In a United States courtroom, there are many participants who contribute to the goal of justice for all. The judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, defendant, victims, witnesses, jurors, bailiff, and court reporter are each participants in the courtroom workgroup. Although every participant plays a different role in the process, they each contribute to the courts general objective of ensuring that the legal system remains fair, efficient, and effective to those individuals accused of committing a crime. A judge’s role is essential to court proceedings. He or she is responsible for ensuring the court proceedings are legal, and that the defendant receives his or her rights of due process. The judge does this by setting the rules of the courtroom and acting as a referee between opposing council. Although a judges’ most visible role is during a criminal or civil trial, he or she has many responsibilities outside of this setting. Prior to any court hearing, the judge is responsible for signing search and arrest warrants. Judges also deal with the issue of bail once established that there is enough evidence to hold a criminal trial against the defendant during the preliminary hearing. Judges decide on whether to grant bail, and if so at what amount and on what conditions. If any of the conditions are broken...
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...Courtroom Participation Paper Courtroom Participation One of the core components to the criminal justice system is the judicial system. The judicial system consists of participants who have specialized roles that are associated with the courtroom. There are 10 basic roles that the participants play which include; judge, prosecutor, defense counsel, bailiff, court reporter, clerk of the court, witness, jury, defendant, and spectators. The judge has the ultimate authority in the courtroom, and is used to protect both the rights of the accused, and the best interest of the public. Courtroom participation is an important aspect, and is necessary in helping to secure the rights which are protected under the United States Constitution. The courtroom work group works together, and is guided by ethical considerations, and statuatory requirements that are bound by law (Siegel, Schmalleger & Worrall, Chapter 7, 2011). There are professional, and nonprofessional participants that help to make sure that everyone is guarenteed a fair, and just trial. This paper discusses the important roles that each particpant plays in the judicial system. Each member of the courtroom has duties, and responsibilities that help in the procedures that are established in court proceedings. Courtroom Participants And Their Roles The courtroom arena is equipped with different players who make up the core of the court system each player posses a different skill...
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...Courtroom work group Ronald A. Tonelli University of Phoenix The Criminal Justice System CJA/204 JEROME SIMPSON JR. Courtroom work group Across The United States of America and in every State, County and City criminal justice system, a Courtroom Workgroup has a familiar understanding between the prosecutor, defense attorney, and the judge. This concept of criminal justice describes the seemingly confrontational courtroom participants as colleagues serving within the criminal justice system. Eisenstein and Jacob in 1977 studied the interactions of court members at all levels they came up with the courtroom work group. The three individuals have totally different jobs and responsibilities than the other two, they work separately from one another toward their personal goal but work together for a common goal “justice”. The biggest change I would make in the system would be to add more judges and courts on all levels of the criminal justice system to help with the overload of today's society. With more courts, we would be able to ensure quicker court dates for the accused. This change would free up a lot of money due to people not sitting in jails, and the cost per day per person is around $234.00. Think of how much we could put into programs to help prevent crime with that amount of money saved. The judge ensures all follows the laws of the court and its procedures in the courtroom. He will address all objections place before the court either overruling or sustaining...
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...Courtroom Players Response There are several components or key players that work together to make a courtroom function; each role is needed to successfully complete a trial. There are two categories of participants in a trial: professionals and outsiders or nonprofessional courtroom participants. The group of professionals is what is known as a courtroom work group. A courtroom workgroup includes judges, prosecuting and defense attorneys, and many others who earn their living by serving the court (Schmalleger 2012, p.312). A courtroom work group must interact with each other on a daily basis in order to keep the courtroom functioning properly. The group must work together in order to form stable working relationships and work toward the common goal of effectively delivering justice. “Stable and familiar relationships among the group members are more likely to lead to close working relationships. This often leads to better negotiations, less reliance on formalities, more utilization of informal arrangements, and the creation of cooperative relationships. Group interactions play a significant role in the way that one group member responds to another” (Mays, Chapter 3, 2011). One of the major key players in the work group is the prosecutor. Schmalleger (2011) stated, the prosecutor is “an attorney whose official duty is to conduct criminal proceedings on behalf of the state or the people against those accused of having committed criminal offenses” (p. 315). The prosecutor...
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...the prosecution, with little judicial review. Plea bargaining is beneficial to all members of the courtroom workgroup such as the judge, the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the defendant. The defense attorney and prosecutor must come to an agreement so that the judge can have a speedy trial without dispositions of the case, which saves judicial resources. It takes less time than a long awaiting trial. The prosecutor must provide an inception of ability to deal with a busy caseload, but cannot prosecute every case that comes before them. The prosecutor favors plea bargaining because it allows the courtroom workgroup to avoid conflict and maintain cohesion. The defense attorney and the public defenders benefit from plea bargaining by allowing them to focus on more important cases that are worthy to go to trial; more money for less work. However, when it comes to the victims it may be beneficial because they may not want to testify or risk the possibility the prosecution will not obtain a conviction. Criminal defendants may lose their chance to an acquittal, and also lose their rights to a trial by jury if they accept a plea bargain. Mays outlined these impacts on the court system in his book American Courts and the Judicial Process. Mays stated a process of in which a plea bargaining has an impact, “The prosecuting attorney is clearly in power, understanding by the courtroom work group on stance of case, knowing the outcome might not be different then the plea, defendant...
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