Criminal and Civil Trial Courts Lecture

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering judicial decision-making, criminal courtroom dynamics, prosecutor and defender roles, and the functions of civil trial courts.

Courtroom Work Group

A complex network of ongoing social relationships characterized by repetitive interaction between group members like the prosecutor, judge, and defense.

Horizontal System

A system arrangement where lawyers handle particular parts of a case (e.g., intake) and then hand it off to trial attorneys.

Vertical System

A case-centered or client-centered lawyer arrangement where one lawyer handles the entire case throughout its duration.

Prosecutor Selection

Selected and retained through local elections in $\frac{45}{50}$ states, with elections typically held every $4$ years and often being partisan ($\frac{40}{50}$ states).

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

The landmark Supreme Court case that established the Constitutional Right to Counsel in felony cases.

Argersinger v. Hamlin (1973)

The Supreme Court case that extended the right to counsel to misdemeanors where charges authorize imprisonment.

Public Defenders

Salaried government employees with high caseloads who provide representation for 66% of felony Federal defendants and 82% in large State courts.

CJA Panel Attorneys

Appointed counsel who handle cases when a Public Defender is unavailable or has a conflict, often receiving a substantially lower rate than private counsel.

U.S. Constitution Amendment VII

Preserves the right to a jury trial in suits at common law where the value in controversy exceeds $\$20$.$$

Compensatory Damages

Damages designed to repay the injured party for medical bills or lost wages to return them to pre-injury levels, or 'make them whole.'

Punitive Damages

Damages reserved for reckless or malicious behavior intended as punishment and to force change.

Negligence

The failure to act with the care that a reasonable person would use in the same situation, such as failing to dry floors after cleaning.

Reckless

The act of intentionally taking on an unreasonable risk, such as drinking and driving.

Judicial Award Reductions

The process where judges reduce awards post-verdict; approximately $44\%$ of all awards were reduced, with plaintiffs receiving an average of $62\%$ of the initial reward.