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CRIM EXAM 3
N/A
75
Criminology
Undergraduate 1
11/13/2011

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Term
blood feud
Definition
a disagreement whose settlement is based on personal vengeance and physical violence
Term
compurgation
Definition
in medieval German and English law, a practice by which a defendant could establish innocence by taking an oath and having a required number of people swear the they believed the oath
Term
trial by ordeal
Definition
an ancient custom found in many cultures in which the accused was required to perform a test to prove guilt
Term
inquest
Definition
in archaic usage, considered the first type of jury that determined the ownership of land; currently a type of investigation
Term
assize of Clarendon
Definition
the 12th century English law that established judicial procedure and the grand jury system
Term
Court of the Star Chamber
Definition
an old english court comprising the kings councilors that was separate from common-law courts
Term
the Court of the Star Chamber was notable for its abuses, such as the following:
Definition
-interrogation of suspects in secret
-the use of torture as a fact-finding tool
-no right to a trial by jury
-accusation brought without evidence
-the accused not informed of the identity of people making accusations
Term
Duncan v. Louisiana
Definition
under the 6th amendment, defendants charged with serious offenses are entitled to a jury trial
Term
Marbury v. Madison
Definition
Established the judiciary as equal to the executive and legislative branches of govt
Term
McCulloch v. Maryland
Definition
Established that the court could find that the constitution included implied powers that could be deduced from its nature and language
Term
Plessy v. Ferguson
Definition
Held that a Louisiana law that mandated "equal but separate accommodations for the white and colored races" on all railroad cars was reasonable
Term
subject-matter jurisdiction
Definition
the authority of a court to hear a case based on the nature of the case
Term
geographic jurisdiction
Definition
the authority of a court to hear a case based on the location of the offense
Term
hierarchical jurisdiction
Definition
the authority of a court to hear a case based on where the case is located in the system
Term
circuit court
Definition
a court that holds sessions at intervals within different areas of a judicial district
Term
magistrate court
Definition
the lowest level of the federal court system,created in 1968 to ease the caseload of the US district courts
Term
district courts
Definition
courts of general jurisdiction that try felony cases involving federal laws and civil cases involving amounts of money over $75,000
Term
courts of appeals
Definition
intermediate courts that dispose of many appeals before they reach the supreme court
Term
US supreme court
Definition
the "court of last resort"; the highest court in the US, established by article III of the constitution, hears only appeals, with some exceptions
Term
writ of certiorari
Definition
an order from a superior court calling up for review the record of a case from a lower court
Term
powell v. state of alabama
Definition
this is the first case in which the US supreme court applied the constitutional right to counsel to a specific prosecution; powell also provides a historic look at racism within the criminal justice system
Term
state courts
Definition
general courts and special courts funded and run by each state
Term
rule of four
Definition
a rule that states that at least four of nine supreme court justices must vote to hear a case
Term
amicus curiae
Definition
a brief in which someone who is not a part of the case gives advice or testimony
Term
lower courts
Definition
sometimes called inferior courts, in reference to their hierarchy; these courts receive their authority and resources from local county or municipal govts
Term
going rate
Definition
a term describing how similar cases have been settled by a given set of judges, prosecutors, and attorneys
Term
clerk of the court
Definition
the primary administrative officer of each court who manages nonjudicial functions
Term
court reporter
Definition
a court officer who records and transcribes an official verbatim record of the legal proceedings of the court
Term
court administrator
Definition
an officer responsible for the mechanical necessities of the court, such as scheduling courtrooms, managing case flow, administering personnel, procuring furniture, and preparing budgets
Term
bail agent
Definition
an employee of a private, for-profit company that provides money for suspects to be released from jail; also called bondsman
Term
child advocate
Definition
an officer appointed by the court to protect the interests of the child and to act as a liaison among the child, the child's family, the court, and any other agency involved with the child
Term
the attorney general's office is responsible for:
Definition
-executive direction and management offices
-litigation
-investigatory and law enforcement agencies
-policy and assistance offices
Term
disposition
Definition
the final determination of a case or other matter by a court or other judicial entity
Term
Argersinger v. Hamlin
Definition
defendants have the right to an attorney if an offense, regardless of its seriousness, is punishable by incarceration
Term
Scott v. Illinois
Definition
states may incarcerate offenders only if they have been represented by counsel; state are no obliged to appoint counsel for offenders who have not been sentenced to incarceration, even if incarceration is a possible punishment
Term
U.S. v. Leon
Definition
evidence may be admitted if the fault for a bad warrant rests with the court and not with the police
Term
Missouri Bar Plan
Definition
a judicial nomination commission presents a list of candidates to the governor, who decides on a candidate; after a year in office, voters decide on whether to retain the judge. judges must run for such re-election each term; also called merit selection
Term
plea bargain
Definition
a compromise reached by the defendant, the defendant's attorney, and the prosecutor in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest in return for a reduction of the charges' severity, dismissal of some charges, further information about the offense or about others involved in it, or the prosecutor's agreement to recommend a desired sentence.
Term
indictment
Definition
a written statement of the facts of the offense that is charged against the accused
Term
information
Definition
a formal, written accusation against a defendant submitted to the court by a prosecutor
Term
impeach
Definition
to discredit a witness
Term
redirect examination
Definition
the questionining of a witness about issues uncovered during cross-examination
Term
direct verdict of acquittal
Definition
an order from a trial judge to the jury stating that the jury must acquit the accused because the prosecution has not proved its case
Term
beyond a reasonable doubt
Definition
refers to the highest level of proof required to win a case; necessary in criminal cases to procure a guilty verdict
Term
master jury list
Definition
list of potential jurors
Term
venire
Definition
the list or pool from which jurors are chosen
Term
voir dire
Definition
"to see, to speak"; refers to the questioning of jurors by a judge and/or attorneys to determine whether individual jurors are appropriate for a particular jury panel
Term
hung jury
Definition
a term describing a jury in a criminal case that is deadlocked or that can not produce a unanimous verdict
Term
bench trial
Definition
a trial that takes place before a judge, but without a jury, in which the judge makes the decision; sometimes called a court trial
Term
Batson v. Kentucky
Definition
the Supreme Court established that the use of peremptory challenges to racially manipulate a jury violates the defendant's right to an impartial jury
Term
US v. Salerno
Definition
denying bail and pretrial release to a suspect who may be a danger to society is constitutional
Term
Furman v. Georgia
Definition
the decision set forth that the administration of the death penalty constituted cruel and unusual punishment, not the death penalty itself
Term
Gregg v. Georgia
Definition
the Supreme Court effectively reinstated the death penalty, finding that it did not constitute cruel and unusual punishment as long as its implementation was fair
Term
indeterminate sentence
Definition
a prison term that does not state a specific period of time to be served or date of release
Term
determinate sentence
Definition
a prison term that is determined by law and states a specific period of time to be served
Term
presumptive sentence
Definition
a sentence that may be adjusted by the judge depending on aggravating or mitigating factors
Term
mandatory minimum sentence
Definition
a sentence determined by law that establishes the minimum length of prison time that may be served for an offense
Term
vertical plea
Definition
most advantageous; by pleading guilty or nolo contendere the defendant can reduce the potential for a harsh sentence
Term
horizontal plea
Definition
defendant pleases guilty to a charge in exchange for other charges being dropped
Term
reduced-sentence plea
Definition
the defendent is assured a specific less-than-maximum sentence and the prosecutor gets a conviction without having to go to trial
Term
avoidance-of-stigma plea
Definition
several types of convictions do an extra measure of damage to a defendant's chances of receiving a light sentence
Term
3 fundamental issues that guide the practice of plea bargaining
Definition
1. presumption of factual guilt
2. costs and risks of trial
3. what to do with the guilty
Term
Steps to a trial process
Definition
1. indictment
2. defendant's plea
3. prosecution opening statement
4. defense opening statement
5. witness and evidence presented
6. defense closing arguments
7. prosecution closing arguments
8. judge's instructions to jurors about procedures
9. judge's instructions to jurors about verdicts
10. final verdict
11. defendant released if acquitted or sentenced if convicted
Term
the pretrial phase
Definition
-filing of charges
-initial appearance
-grand jury
-indictment and informations
-arraignment
-the plea
Term
testimony
Definition
statements by witnesses that are given under oath
Term
real evidence
Definition
consists of objects that can be readily observed (fingerprints)
Term
direct evidence
Definition
both real evidence and testimony; ascertainable by the 5 senses
Term
indirect evidence
Definition
circumstantial evidence; demonstration that the defendant has similar objects as in the case
Term
6th amendment
Definition
right to a speedy trial & right to confront witnesses & right to an impartial jury
Term
5th amendment
Definition
right against self-incrimination
Term
8th amendment
Definition
right against excessive bail
Term
Offenses likely to carry mandatory minimums
Definition
-weapons violations
-repeated drunk driving
-drug-sales and drug-kingpin laws
-three-strikes-and-you're-out laws
-truth in sentencing
Term
federal courts hear cases involving these issues
Definition
-cases in which the US govt or one of its officers is being sued
-cases between two or more states
-cases involving counsels, ambassadors, and other public ministers
-cases involving laws enacted by congress, treaties and laws related to maritime jurisdiction, and commerce on the high seas
Term
US district courts hear these types of cases
Definition
-federal questions
-diversity of jurisdiction
-prisoner petitions
Term
types of local community courts
Definition
-conflict resolution programs
-family courts
-magistrate courts
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