1. Courts and the Case Process

2. Two Systems of Criminal Courts
1. Federal Courts (three levels) -District Court -Circuit Court of Appeals -U.S. Supreme Court

3. Three-Tiered Model 3 2 1

4. Two Systems of Criminal Courts
2. State Courts
Each state has own criminal court system
Three levels
1. Trial Courts
- Limited Jurisdiction – try misdemeanors,
lesser offenses
- Unlimited Jurisdiction – try felony cases
2. Intermediate Court of Appeals
3. State Supreme Court

5. Judges and Judicial Independence
Trial judges make legal rulings
Constitution tries to ensure judicial independence
State Judges
Different states select judges in different ways (direct elections, appointments)
Many states allow voters to recall judges they don’t think belong on the bench
System tries to allow judges to stay away from politics

6. Criminal Lawyers Prosecutors Government employees
Represent the public and then present the government’s case against the defendant
Must prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
Also responsible for deciding whether to bring charges

7. Criminal Lawyers Defense Attorneys
Prepare and present defendant’s case at pretrial hearings, at trial, and on appeal
Defendant has right to have a lawyer present at any interrogation
Can be either private attorneys or public employees
Everyone has a right to a lawyer; one provided for you if you can’t afford one
Usually get assigned a PUBLIC DEFENDER
Public defender a government employee

8. The Criminal Case Process
Adversary System
Opposing attorneys introduce evidence to neutral fact finders (judge or jury)
Fact finder decides the facts of the case and comes to a verdict
Attorneys present facts that benefit their side
Believed that the truth will come out by putting two sides against each other
Facts
EVIDENCE: facts used to prove a point before court
Comes from testimony of witnesses or physical item related to the scene