...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 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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...Roles of a Courtroom There are many responsibilities when working in the government particularly when it is protecting the public’s safety and the sentencing of those who commit crimes. Matters such as adoption, divorce, juvenile matters, and custody are a few issues that must go through the court system. The individuals such as jurors, prosecutors, defense attorneys, witnesses, victims, defendants, and judges all play an instrumental role during the court process. In addition to these key roles, the courtroom clerk and reporter are administrative roles that allow the court rooms daily operations to run smoothly and keep a record of the preceding. Understanding that it takes these roles to work as a team all playing their part to accomplish the objective. The judge is the main authority in a courtroom. They are appointed differently in federal and state courts. In a federal court the judge is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and approval of the Senate. The federal judge serves a life term unless he or she is impeached, retires, or dies. The state judge can be appointed by the governor but usually are required to run for election and voted by the people. The judge’s main responsibility in a courtroom is to safeguard the rights of the accused and the interests of the public. They oversee trials and ensure both parties are representing their case under the law ("Role of the Judge and Other Courtroom Participants ", n.d.). The judge hears...
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...The Court Participants Tyler Burns CJA/224 August 8, 2011 Chris Bragg When courtroom participants are thought of it’s generally the Judge, jurors, defense attorney, and the prosecutor. What about the other important participants? Such as, courtroom administration, the courtroom deputy, court clerk, court reporters and witness. Every one of these participants plays a key role in the criminal justice system. The Judge runs in an election and will be voted to be appointed. Once in the courtroom the judge presides over the trial from a desk, called a bench, on an elevated platform. The judge has five basic tasks. The first is simply to preside over the proceedings and see that order is maintained. The second is to determine whether any of the evidence that the parties want to use is illegal or improper. Third, before the jury begins its deliberations about the facts in the case, the judge gives the jury instructions about the law that applies to the case and the standards it must use in deciding the case. Fourth, in bench trials, the judge must also determine the facts and decide the case. The fifth is to sentence convicted criminal defendants. Potential jurors are selected from a list of names that are often obtained from lists of people with drivers’ licenses in the state and people who are registered to vote in the state. Jurors fulfill a very important function in the legal system. In a criminal trial, they are charged with the responsibility of deciding whether, on...
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...Courtroom Participation Paper The courtroom assemblage consists of numerous participants, the prosecutor, defense attorney, defendant, judge, bailiff, witnesses, and the jury. Each of these participants plays a significant part in the criminal justice system court process. Prosecutorial “The prosecutor is an administrator of justice, an advocate, and an officer of the court; the prosecutor must exercise sound discretion in the performance of his or her functions. The duty of the prosecutor is to seek justice, not merely to convict” according to American Bar Association. The prosecutor represents the government in court. The prosecutor is a key element in the justice process; the prosecutor’s role has evolved and become specialized and multifaceted as the law and legal system progresses. Their primary function is to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law. To present the court with the focal points of indictment, present the evidence and argue the case. The United States Attorney General is the highest ranking law enforcement official in the U.S. and is appointed by the president. On the state level constituents vote for the attorney general. Every state is broken down into sections known as districts and each has a district attorney that heads their districts judicial system. Defense The defendant is the person accused in crime. A defense attorney can be privately hired by the defendant or if the defendant cannot afford one, one will...
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...Roles of the Courtroom Professionals and Victimization Every day a choreographed dance plays out in the courtrooms across the United States. The dancers consist of trained professionals dedicated to the criminal justice system. Each person has a unique responsibility in regards to the role they play in how cases are processed through the court system. The roles are divided into categories of professionals and non–professionals. The judge, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, bailiff, court reporter, and court administrator are among the professionals. Non-professional participants are those who attend court proceedings and may include the defendant, victims, witnesses, jurors, spectators and media personnel. There are specific guidelines the individual participants must follow for communicating and processing cases through the court system regardless if the case originates in criminal or civil court. The professional members in the courtroom are responsible for moving cases through the courts and ensuring all Constitutional Rights are protected in the best interest of society. Public outcry and advocacy have led to the emergence of victims’ rights in recent decades. Prosecuting Attorney The prosecuting attorney’s role is to present evidence against the defendant on behalf of society. When a case is presented to them, they must review the evidence and the charges against an individual to warrant moving forward with the case. The prosecutor attends every court proceeding...
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...Courtroom Participants’ Professional Standards Name CJA 224 Date Professor When entering a courtroom the main common goal is to have a guilty or not guilty verdict. While being in the courtroom you can come across some participant that are in misconduct, which can have a serious consequence. Courtroom misconduct can go any where from making improper remarks or improperly introducing evidence designed to prejudice the jury. Prosecutorial misconduct violates court rules or ethical standards of law practice. Hiding, destroying or tampering with evidence, can also have serious consequence, which is taken very seriously in the courtrooms. If the prosecutorial fails to disclose evidence that might tend to exonerate the defendant, threatening, badgering or tampering with witness can also, lead to jail time. Acting in these action can lead to them being disbarred and fined. The due process control model and the crime control model in evaluating the judicial process. Prosecutors have a big responsibility within the criminal justice system. They act as the legal representatives of the government when cases are filed against people who violated the law. It is essential for prosecutors to ensure that the evidence is sufficient before they bring the case to the court. The standards set by Strickland v. Washington will also be clarified by describing it and its effect on courtroom cases. These guidelines and procedures cover rules in handling evidence, code of ethics...
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...Courtroom Participants’ Professional Standards In order for the legal system of the United States to work as intended by the constitution, it is vital for all participants of the legal system to their jobs in accordance with the law. From the bottom up, the police officers making arrests should not violate the rights of an individual or take law into their own hands. Any misconduct by the police will cause the public to loose trust in them. Then the prosecutors and defense attorneys must work in accordance with the law and make sure a defendant is given all the rights under the law and should not do anything to violate the rights of the individual. At the judicial level, the judges must keep personal feeling out of the courts and avoid any misconduct that might cause a reversal of the charges in appeal or cause the public to question and doubt the justice system. * * A man named Michael Wayne Hash was the victim of a prosecutorial misconduct case back in 2001. Michael was convicted of murdering a 74 year old grandmother. Michael was convicted of capital murder after prosecutors made deals with three other men that were tried and convicted of the same case. In this case, the prosecutors withheld or concealed evidence that could have freed Michael * of the charges against him. Prosecutors did not disclose to the defense council that the accusers against him failed polygraph exams and had made deals to testify against him. There was no DNA match to Michael from...
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...Bond Hearings and a Plea Entrance; A Day’s Observation in the Circuit Court. Political Science 210 December 2, 2010 Political Science 210 December 2, 2010 Bond Hearings and a Plea Entrance; A Day’s Observation in the Circuit Court. On November 24, 2010, I was given the opportunity to observe a session of the Fairfax County Circuit Court. While observing the session I was able to view five bond hearings and one plea entrance, which allowed for a partial understanding of the typical daily court docket. Because many cases are settled outside of court, the daily proceedings within the courtroom are often shorter and without much argument. Fairfax County Virginia is located in the northeastern portion of Virginia nearby the District of Columbia. The county is the largest by population in the state, and also the densest county at 1,037,605 people within the county’s 407 square miles. Home to several intelligence agencies, and half of the metropolitan area’s Fortune 500 companies, Fairfax county has one of the highest median incomes in the country for a county of its size, second only to neighboring Loudoun County. The county was the first in the nation to reach a six figure median income and is known as one of the most populous areas in the Greater Washington Metropolitan Areas. The Fairfax County Circuit court, located in Fairfax City, is used to serve the residents of both the county and the city itself. The court is in the 19th Judicial...
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...The Courtroom Work Group Alethea Drury CJA/204 Ron Alter March 3, 2014 The courtroom work group consists of two different categories, the professionals and the outsiders. The professional participants are the actors, who tend to be well versed in trial practice and bring the courtroom to life. So, who are the main participants in this group? They are judges, prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, public defenders, and other professionals. The outsiders include defendants, witnesses, jurors, and victims. All of these people have to work together to make the court room operate in a smooth, fluid manner in order to accomplish a common goal. If you think about it, the court room work group should operate like body, where all of the nerves have to work together and communicate to function properly. The judge is the brain and controls how the rest of the body will respond and operate. The judge’s primary duty is one of ensuring justice. “In the courtroom, the judge holds ultimate authority, ruling on matters of law, weighing objections from both sides, deciding on the admissibility of evidence, and disciplining anyone who challenges the order of the court.” (Schmalleger, 2011, "Chapter 9: The Courts: Structure and Participants"). The judge upholds the law and makes the final decision. The judge’s main role in the court room is to uphold the law and the truth by making decisions that follow the law. He is responsible be being truthful and honest when it comes to...
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...organizational and other types of conflicts. Apart from proposals off the potential applications of the methods, the paper also presents a comparison between the three methods and the legal systems of resolving conflict. In addition, it discusses in brief the processes, benefits and the limitations of the processes. Mediation Mediation entails a due process that involves a neutral third party, a mediator, in conflict resolution. The mediator is never judgmental nor partisan during the process. The mediator never decides any wrongdoers but focus on the problem-solving process. Mediation allows for the revision and adjustment of the conflict scope. Agreements after mediation are readily acceptable than those from a judicial ruling because all participants are involved in reaching a compromise. Mediation is informal and involves a mediator that guides the process. The mediator engages the disputants to drop hostilities and come to a mutual agreement. In fact, mediation is multi-step and is designed to yield ultimate outcome those establishes relationships and resolves disagreements completely. Mediation starts with an opening statements form the mediator followed by that from the disputants. It then comprises joint discussion through which the complainants air out concerns and draws lines. At this point, the mediator studies the parties and...
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... |Syllabus | | |College of Criminal Justice SSecurity Security | | |CJS/220 Version 4 | | |The Court System | Copyright © 2011, 2009, 2007 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course is an introduction and overview of the legal system, the participants, the courtroom process, and post-conviction process of the court system. It demonstrates the connections among participants and how they relate to each other. Additionally, the course covers the history of the court system and the different types of court at the state and federal levels. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: • University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. • Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you...
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...Court History and Purpose Leonard Navarro CJA/224 March 11, 2013 Greg Dorfman Court History and Purpose The American court system has become a strong organized machine. There are two types of court systems in the United States of America. The two court systems are the state courts and the federal courts. These two systems are known as the dual-court systems. The dual-court system is the result of an agreement that was made between our nation’s founders about the need for individual states to keep significant legislative authority separate from federal control. “One of the most important, most interesting, and, possibly, most confusing features of the judiciary in the United States is the dual court system; that is, each level of government (state and national) has its own set of courts”. (IIP Digital, 2013) Prior to the adoption of the Constitution, the United States was governed by the Articles of Confederation. The dual-court system divided the court systems into two separate divisions. The two systems are the state court system and the federal court system. Under this new idea of two separate systems, this developed a loose federation of semi-independent provinces. This meant that new states that wanted to join the union were assured of limited federal intervention in local affairs. This allowed state legislature to create laws. This required the state court systems to hear cases that laws were violated in to be heard. The structure of the court systems...
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...Executive branch that initiates and administers the law, and the Judiciary branch, that we will be discussing in this paper. The Judiciary branch applies the law, as is seen in courtrooms across America and in homes on televisions. Television shows are popular for their dramatics, which increase their ratings. The more dramatic and action packed a show is, the more people tune in to watch it, therefore making it a successful show or series. In the world today popular crime shows such as Law & Order, CSI, Raising the Bar, and Peoples Court, show the dramatics of a case. Of these shows, Law and Order and Raising the Bar, both portray the legal drama and police procedures taken in a case. Upon watching an episode of Law & Order or Raising the Bar, one will see a lot of discrepancies of the fiction versus reality of today in the courtroom. It is important to remember that television shows are not real, unless stated so. Again the idea of creating a successful series is to have it appeal to the audience; drama, crime, and blood draw in a great percentage of audiences, therefore making the show a hit. Upon entering the courtroom in a televised series, it is often noticeable how the drama unfolds throughout the case. Both the prosecution and defense attorneys are often seen arguing a case outside of the courtroom, bargaining for a lighter sentence, and at times arguing...
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...Final Project: Fiction versus Reality CJS/220 May 7, 2011 Timothy Hanson There are many aspects of a working courtroom, and each aspect has a special value that it adds to justice proceedings. However, the courtroom proceedings seen in movies, or on television, are rarely the same as what. The reality of what happens in a courtroom has been completely sensationalized to make it more exciting. The complexity of what takes place in real life courtrooms has remained consistent throughout the years. Looking at the novelty of fictional drama and comparing that to what takes place in a traditional courtroom will show the differences, if any. Take into consideration the movie, “My Cousin Vinny.” This movie is mostly held in a courtroom. Included are the judge, the prosecution and defense attorneys, the jury, the bailiff, court recorder, witnesses, even an audience included in the scenes and processes of the case. While in a completely fictional movie, the roles and actions of each individual seem to be indicative of reality. Keeping in mind that there has been a major amount of comedic properties added to the characters of the movie to make it more entertaining, the true roles of the characters stayed very true to reality. The defense and prosecuting attorneys exchange information during discovery, and interviewing witnesses. Also involved, are the examinations and cross examinations done by the attorneys are very comparable to reality. Then there is the court...
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