Exam 9: Courts and Pretrial Processes

Katie has been charged with armed robbery.  The judge has set her bail at $250,000.  She is currently in jail awaiting a family member to raise her bail.  This is Katie's first offense.  She claims that she was forced to commit the crime because she could not pay her rent. Katie's lawyer files a request to suppress certain details of Katie's alleged involvement in the robbery.  The lawyer's request came in the form of a

Brady has just been charged with murder in the first degree.  His previous record includes several drug charges and a sexual assault that is pending. Brady will not be released on bail.  His attorney believes the prosecutor and judge will agree to a 20-year sentence through a plea bargain, which will eliminate the chance of a life sentence. Brady will not be released on bail and will await his trial

When judge deal with political actors such as county commissioners and legislators, they act in their _______ capacity.

If the offense is punishable by life imprisonment or death then bail will be denied.

The criterion for deciding if evidence is strong enough to uphold an arrest is called probable cause.

Katie has been charged with armed robbery.  The judge has set her bail at $250,000.  She is currently in jail awaiting a family member to raise her bail.  This is Katie's first offense.  She claims that she was forced to commit the crime because she could not pay her rent. Katie was charged with armed robbery at which point during the pretrial process?

How does the modern-day entertainment industry affect the way our society views the pretrial process?  Does the entertainment industry increase or decrease society's awareness of how our justice system works?

In 1984, Congress passed the Bail Reform Act, which authorized the use of

It is impossible for a poor person to become a judge.

Appellate courts do not try criminal cases.

All courts in the United States use a basic three-tiered structure.

Which statement best reflects valid criticism of the use of preventive detention?

Which is not a solution to create a united court system?

Judges have an enormous amount of discretion in making decisions about pretrial detention. In your opinion, is this harmful or helpful for defendants? Be sure to support your answer with facts from class and the textbook.

Most felony cases are disposed of by dismissals.

__________ had fewer opportunities to enter the legal profession prior to the 1960s and thus were seldom considered for judgeships.

What is the basis of the adversarial system in the United States, and why is it so vital to the success of our modern-day criminal justice system?  How does plea bargaining impact the adversarial system?

The bail system discriminates against poor people.

The court appearance of an accused person at which the charges are read is called a(n)