...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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...to skip jail time but he will still be required to report to a probationary officer on a regular basis. Giner's lawyer Rodolfo Viajar, Jr. agreed with the court's ruling, according to the copy shown to INQ7.net. Giner's arraignment started at 8:30 am Wednesday at branch 14 of the Metropolitan Trial Court in Manila. The conviction of Giner is now considered a landmark case, as he is the first local hacker to be convicted under section 33a of the E-Commerce Law or Republic Act 8792, according to DoJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez and Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño who have provided support to the prosecution of the case. In a separate interview, Geronimo Sy, the state prosecutor handling the case, revealed that Giner's lawyer had agreed to a plea bargain before Wednesday's arraignment, wherein the local hacker was advised to...
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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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...Plea Bargaining Paper Daniel Herrera CJA/224 Introduction to Criminal Courts Dr. Beverly Spencer 9/1/2014 Plea Bargaining Paper Plea bargaining is one of the most important pieces of criminal court proceedings that can occur. Plea bargaining is that chance in which a defendant can choose to not be punished or charged as harshly as they should be. Plea bargaining is a very common thing used within the courthouse and even though it can be good for an individual it can also be bad if not completely understood. The thing with a plea bargain is that at any time a judge can overthrow a bargain and still send the case through strenuous court hours. Plea bargaining is however very important because over ninety percent of all criminal cases are built and completed due to plea bargaining. Plea bargaining can be defined as an agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant whereby the defendant is allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge rather than risk conviction for a graver crime in order to avoid a protracted trial or to win the defendant’s cooperation as a witness (“Plea Bargaining”, 2014). Now a plea bargain can mean everything to nothing towards a case. The prosecution would use these types of bargains for leverage against the defendant. What is meant by this is that the defendant can be offered to give a testimony of the events which can eventually lead into a charge and conviction into a higher profiled case. This is the case most of the time; usually the prosecution...
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...font, use bold type, or some other means for setting your responses apart (but please do NOT change the color of the typeface). 6. When you have completed entering your responses, print out your final copy and sign the last page. Also, be sure to attach any necessary documents before you submit the final copy. DO NOT INCLUDE THIS SHEET WHEN SUBMITTING STAGE TWO FOR GRADING! KANE COUNTY ADULT COURT SERVICES PRE-SENTENCE INVESTIGATION REPORT Please type all responses Defendant’s Name: Edward Ignatious Case #: 16 CF 0071 Investigator’s Name: Rodrick Parker Date of Report: 3/15/16 Charge(s) Plead: Unlawful Use of Weapon (720 ILCS 5/24-1(a)(8)) & Aggravated Assault (720 ILCS 5/12-2(c)(1)) Date of Guilty Plea: 3/2/16 Sentencing Date: 3/28/16 Part I: Case Information and Summary Please provide a narrative that...
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...The criminal trial process begins with the arresting of the individual or the filing for an arrest warrant. An arraignment usually occurs within 48 hours after an arrest. At this time if the defendant has not been mirandized, they will advise them of their rights and of the charges against one. Bail will be set as long as the charge is not murder (2011). A judge can determine if he wants to impose bail for someone charged with murder. They will be given a date for their next court appearance and will be able to post bail and leave or if bail is denied will be remanded into custody (2011). In a state case the preliminary hearing is the next step. Within 7 to 10 days of the initial arraignment the preliminary hearing will take place. During this hearing a district judge will decide if the charges should be upheld. The prosecutions job is to prove that the charges are valid via a prima facie case. Witnesses and evidence will be provided by the prosecutor. The defense attorney does not provide any at this point. If the charges are federal charges an individual goes before a grand jury instead of a preliminary hearing. Grand jury trials are private hearings comprised of 23 citizens. The only one allowed to present in this hearing is the jury, prosecutor, and any witnesses the prosecutors deems necessary. The witnesses can only enter one at a time and have to leave immediately after giving there testimony. A formal arraignment takes place within 30 days from the...
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...maximum penalty of 120 years in jail, but 15 to 20 years is appropriate under federal sentencing guidelines. Because she cooperated with authorities from the very beginning of their investigation, the judge limited her sentence on November 17, 2010, to 11 years in federal prison, plus restitution to Koss of $34 million. Her physician husband filed for divorce after the sentencing hearing. Federal officials have seized most of her assets, including a 2007 Mercedes-Benz, timeshares, jewelry, shoes, furs, and other luxury items – some that were never worn because they were put into storage for lack of space. Sachdeva’s attorney claims she has a bipolar disease of compulsive shopping disorder and is an alcoholic. Countering the defendant’s plea for a lenient sentence because of mental illness, Koss CEO Michael Koss asked the judge to sentence Sachdeva to the maximum 15 to 20 years, writing that she “stole from the hardworking employees of the company and their families, and ultimately the stockholders of the...
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...Juvenile Justice Process and Correction Juvenile Justice Process and Corrections The following information is intended for the parent of a document gang member Xander L. a 17 year-old African American male whose have several juvenile adjudications with the Shelby County, Tennessee Juvenile Court. Xander prior adjudications include purse snatching, breaking and entering, and drug possession. Xander was 13 years old when he committed his first juvenile offense. He was placed in a juvenile correctional facility for a year and on probation twice. Xander resides in the housing projects with his single mother that currently works two jobs. The father has never been a part of this life; however Xander and his mother have a close relationship. She is not happy with his behavior. Xander currently plead guilty for possession of a conceal weapon, however he would like to make his mother proud by obtaining his general equivalency diploma. The purpose of this information is to explain or describe the process after a juvenile arrest, intake processors, court operation, and the disposition. In Tennessee, there is an intake procedure at the juvenile courts. Juveniles are informed of the charges against them and their rights. There is no statutory requirement for the court to inform a juvenile of the collateral consequences possibly resulting from adjudication. Once the police officer refers a case to juvenile court, a prosecutor or juvenile court intake officer (often a probation...
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...Serial Murders and the People Who Commit Them Written assignment for Criminology, Module 9, Serial Murders and the People Who Commit Them, December 8, 2013. Abstract Ronald Dominique was labeled as "The Bayou Serial Killer". He murdered at least 23 victims between 1997 and 2006. His victims ranged in age between 16 and 46 years of age. He murdered his victims by suffocation or strangulation. He pleaded guilty to only eight murders and was sentenced to eight life sentences (Blanco) Ronald Dominique spent most of his youth in the small bayou community of Thibodaux, LA. Thibodaux sits between New Orleans and Baton Rouge and is the type of community where everyone knows very little about each other. He attended Thibodaux High School where he was in the glee club and sang in the course. Classmates say he was ridiculed about being a homosexual during is teen years, but at the time he never admitted he was. As he got older he seemed to live in two worlds. There was the Dominique who was helpful to his neighbors in the small trailer parks where he lived. Then there was the Dominique who cross-dressed and did bad impersonations of Patti LaBelle at the local gay club. Neither world embrace him and among the gay community, many remember him as someone who was not particularly well liked. Through most of his adulthood, Dominique struggled financially and would end up living with his mother or other relatives. In the weeks before his arrest, he was living...
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...Prosecutor started with the case of mischief. On June 26th, the Defendant’s parents phoned police because their son had wrecked their home while they were out. When they returned, they found him outside breaking windows with a hammer. After the Prosecutor finished, the lawyer revealed that his client suffers from schizophrenia. The Judge asked the Defendant if this series of events was correct, and the Defendant said yes. His guilty plea was accepted. In the weapon possession case, the Prosecutor explained that some City of Edmonton workers were fixing a sidewalk when the Defendant approached and started yelling at them for “destroying” the sidewalk. He then took out a hunting knife and began waving it at the workers, who retreated to their vehicle to call police. The responding officer reported that the Defendant mentioned he was not taking his medication. The Defendant agreed with this statement, and the Judge accepted his guilty plea. The Defendant then confirmed that he missed a meeting with his probation officer, and the Judge accepted his guilty plea for that charge as well. The Defendant’s lawyer recommended that the Defendant serve a few days in prison, followed by two years of probation. He would still be able to visit his...
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...Use of Plea Bargains John Miranda March 2, 2015 CJA/224 Dr. Linda Robinson There are very many different tools in which a prosecutor has on their belts. One of the most commonly used is called a plea bargain. It is a very useful tool yet it is sometimes scrutinized by its use. This is typically due to the fact that it usually involves the defendant getting a lesser punishment. So the question always arises if it is just for individuals who have committed a crime to receive this type of leniency. A plea bargain refers to an arrangement that is made between the prosecution and the defense to plead guilty to a lesser crime which would result in a lesser punishment. This would result in the defendant not having to deal with the costly expenses it would take to go to trial against the state, or federal government, depending on the type of crime committed. It also alleviates case workload, and saves time from the judicial system from having to take to trial every single case that is filed. Plea bargains are typically a private matter in which only the prosecution and defendant have discussions about the matter but recently due to public demand the victims have begun to have an input on the plea bargaining procedure which is typically only made public when it is announced in court. However, a judge does not have to accept any terms in which might have been agreed upon by both parties and may have all charges go to trial. There are generally only three types of plea bargains...
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...Waterloo, Iowa. They were bound by handcuffs at the wrists and chained from the upper torso to their ankles in groups of ten. Hearings were being put on as fast as possible, sentencing five at a time over the course of the three days following the raid. Few workers were allowed to talk to attorneys before being presented before the judge. These immigrant workers were arrested for having false identity paper and were charged with identity theft, document fraud, use of stolen social security numbers and other offenses. Most were convicted within four days of the arrest and sentenced to serve a five month prison sentence before being deported. Many of the immigrant workers had no prior criminal record so they were offered a plea agreement in exchange for a guilty plea to lesser charges than the mandatory two year sentence. About 297 workers accepted the agreement and pleaded guilty to document fraud. They pleaded guilty mostly because they did not understand what the judge was saying, or they knew there was no way out of going to prison so they wanted the fastest and least amount of time. They needed a short...
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..."think up to find a new idea or suggestion by thinking about it and using your imagination or intelligence. throw up 1) if something throws up new ideas. it produces them; 2) to vomit, be sick. "'tire someone out to make someonc very tired. "'toil away to work very hard for a long period of time. "trace back to manage to find someone or something by investigating what they have done in the past. track down to manage to find someone or something after a lot of effort, by searching for them. "'trawl through to read or deal with all of something when there is a lot to do and it takes a long time. tune in to listen to or watch a particular programme on thc radio or television. turn against to stop liking or supporting someone. turn away to not allow someone to enter a place. "turn back to stop when you are travelling and start going back in the direction that you came from. turn down to decide not to accept an offer or opportunity. "'turn yourself in to go to the police and admit that you arc responsible for a crime. "turn into to change and become a different type of thing or person. "turn off to make a light, machine or engine stop working, by pressing a switeh, turning a tap etc. "turn something round 1) to make a business, organisation, economy, etc. successful again after it has been unsuccessful; 2) to complete the process of making a product or providing...
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...Does Justice Ever Fail Us? | CRJ 100 – Introduction to Criminal Justice | Lori Baker 12/1/2013Professor Phylancie Nashe | No matter where you turn, you are going to hear about crime. You don’t always get to hear about the outcome though. It gets press time when it is a big case, but what about the others? Do you ever wonder what happens when it is a case that the media doesn’t think is important? Every crime deserves its day in court to get justice where it is deserved. Take the case of Catherine Fisher and her fight for justice against a man who raped her. Sounds like an open and shut case, right? Man rapes woman. Woman identifies him. He is charged and serves his time. This isn’t what happened in this case. Catherine Fisher was raped in Japan by Bloke Deans while he was in the U.S. Navy. He never served any time for his crime. “In November 2004, a Tokyo court ordered him to pay ¥3 million after Fisher filed and won a civil suit against him, but there was no jurisdictional authority to force payment.” (McNeill, 2013, para. 15) Most people would feel defeated at this point and just let it go. Catherine Fisher didn’t do that though; she fought back. She tracked him to the U.S. and brought a case against him on his turf. The case was heard by the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, and they enforced the civil judgment. I don’t think the case that heard it was the right one for the circumstances. “Article 17 (of the Status of Forces Agreement) gives the U.S. military the...
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...Ms. Soderstrom Comp. 1 9 December 2012 Euthanasia Controversy In today’s society, health care is a major issue. Healthcare is preventions of illnesses. There have been many debates on how to solve the problem. Many professional doctors and nurses around the world have been discussing different topics to try to find cures for all kinds of health issues people are faced with. One main topic that has been discussed is Euthanasia, which is the act of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. Euthanasia is also called medically assisted suicide by a lot of people. It originated from the Greek language. Euthanasia should not be strained on a single person but could be helpful in some instances. “There are two types of Euthanasia, active and passive. Active Euthanasia is death by commission. Passive Euthanasia is death by emission.” (Mcmanaman 2). Many people make a moral differentiation between the two but if you are not severely ill or in a dying state these actions will not apply to you, because then it will just be just like murdering a patient. If it is not legally processed , this is a very offensive case so therefore the consequences will be highly looked at. The way of using Euthanasia is looked down upon because of the way it devalues human life. The Government should not have the power of making it legal to end someones life because it is such a moral issue. However, Euthanasia could...
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