Exam 8: Trial Defense and Prosecution

Laws under which conviction for a third felony results in an extended sentence,up to life imprisonment are called __________.

A major issue for criminal defense is the tendency to focus on the __________ rather than on the criminal act.This has led to the creation of new defenses that attempt to stretch the boundaries of concepts such as self-defense.

The Sixth Amendment to the U.S.Constitution guarantees the right of accused persons to have the assistance of ___________.

A major issue for criminal defense is the tendency to focus on the offender rather than on the criminal act.Why is this an issue and what has this led to?

The scope of the right to counsel has been defined by the U.S.Supreme Court in a series of cases involving the interpretation and application of the Sixth Amendment.

Alternatives to the formal criminal justice process that are implemented after charging but prior to adjudication are called __________.

States do not vary in how they pay for indigent defense.

Plea bargaining occurs when a prosecutor agrees to press a less serious charge,drop some charges,or recommend a less severe sentence if the defendant agrees to plead guilty.

The __________is an act requires that all criminal cases be brought to trial within one hundred days;if they are not,they will be dismissed.

The vast majority of public defender officers use formal criteria to determine if a defendant qualifies as __________ and is eligible for public representation.

A __________ is a paralegal employed by prosecutors,defense attorneys,and law firms to assist in the preparation of civil and criminal cases.

Several cities use a __________,in which the prosecutor,the defendant,the defendant's counsel,and the judge meet before a trial to discuss a plea.The arresting officer and the victim are invited to attend these sessions.No plea negotiations can take place outside this setting;and no plea negotiations are admissible as evidence if a trial eventually results,so as not to prejudice a judge or jury.

The term __________ refers to case attrition,in which arrests do not result in convictions for various reasons.

A ___________ coordinates and provides services to victims and witnesses by providing information,counseling,or other support services.

The right to __________ is a Sixth Amendment protection that guarantees suspects the right to representation by an attorney when their liberty is in jeopardy.

Overreliance on plea bargaining can result in its abuse.

Prosecutors are not granted considerable discretion in the manner in which they enforce the law.

Courts with low caseloads have been found to have lower plea rates than courts with high caseloads.

What is a pretrial settlement conference and how is it utilized? Please explain.