COURT SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES

Exam 1 Review

 Know the differences between the crime control model and the due process model

 What is a courtroom workgroup?

 What is the degree of proof required in a criminal trial? Civil trial?

 What range of punishments are associated with felonies and misdemeanor in Texas?

 Know the difference between common law and statutes.

 Be familiar with the sixth and eighth amendments to the Constitution.

 How does the Supreme Court determine which cases it will hear? What type of cases will they hear?

 What is the principle difference between a trial and an appeal. What is their primary purpose?

 Know the flow of cases from the court of original jurisdiction to the appellate court in both federal and Texas state system.

 Know the general function of the lower courts and the appellate courts. For example, which court in the federal system are criminal trials heard?

 How many judges will hear a Court of Cppeals case in Texas? A Court of Criminal appeals case? U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals? Supreme Court?

 Know which courts felonies and misdemeanors would be filed in.

 What is meant by "doing justice" in a criminal case. Why is it difficult to achieve?

 Know general roles of the prosecutor, judge and defense attorney in a trial. Who has the most influence?

 What is the primary duty of a prosecutor? A defense attorney?

 How does a U.S. Attorney get their job and how long can they keep it?

 How do federal district judges get their jobs? Can they be removed from office and if so how?

 Know the procedure of discovery in criminal trials? Who has to provide what information?

 How judges in Texas get their jobs? Prosecutors?

 Know the 3 methods of selecting counsel for indigents. Which is used the most often?

 Why don't defendants generally trust their attorneys?

 What does "ineffective assistance of counsel mean"?

 What is the primary duty of the defense attorney in an adversarial system?

 What does "officer of the court mean?" Do defense attorneys have ethical rules they must follow?

 Are crime victims unwilling in many cases to cooperate with the criminal court process? Why not?

 Do crime victims support the system according to recent surveys?

 What is the purpose of most state victim compensation plans?

 What is the speedy trial law in Texas as discussed in class?

 Know the names of our U.S. and Texas attorney generals and the chief prosecutor in Bexar County.

Know the following terms:

 arraignment

 stare decisus

 Writ of Certioari

 original jurisdiction

 en banc hearings

 privileged communications

 Missouri plan

 court docket

 judge shopping

 MADD