Exam 9: Courts and Pretrial Processes

___________ is designed to remove politics from the selection of judges and to allow the voters to unseat judges.

The fragmented structure of state courts is the biggest barrier to effective justice.

Should state judges be selected through elections? Why or why not?

The bail system does not discriminate based on income.

In the United States,the vast majority of judges have historically been

Describe the structure of the American court system.

U.S.district courts are often referred to as ______ courts.

What percentage of state trial judges are African Americans?

The United States is only one of two countries in the world that allows bail agents to profit.You are a U.S.senator who wants to speak against the issue in a committee.To do so,you must first demonstrate that you understand the benefits of using a profit-based system.Some people consider the United States a leader in this regard.Explain why you believe the system should be discontinued in the United States.

Which is not a responsibility of judges?

How do movies and episodic TV affect the way our society views the pretrial process? Do "realistic" fiction portrayals of the process increase or decrease society's awareness of how our justice system works?

Which statement about the bail system is true?

Judges have a variety of roles within the judicial system.

In a(n)___________ election,judges are openly endorsed by political parties.

If an individual cannot make bail,he will be forced to remain in jail until his case is resolved.

Read about the Kalief Browder tragedy in your text.Imagine you worked in the prison system that held him.You are compelled to write a letter to his mother.What,in your opinion,led to the tragedy? Could it have been prevented? How? Should anyone be legally responsible for his death? Why or why not?

Which of the following is not a factor in a judge's determination of the bail amount?

What is the main purpose of drug courts?

You have been a judge for 30 years.You've spent 10 of those years serving on a drug court,10 years in a veteran's court and the remaining time as a judge in a domestic violence court.You are writing your memoirs and want to compare and contrast each type of court.Why do they exist? What are the criticisms of them? Do you feel each is a benefit to society? Why or why not?

Holding a defendant for trial for fear that,if the defendant were released on bail,he or she might endanger another person or the community is referred to as