Court Systems and Practices

Email:

Telephone: 903-731-8005 Ext 2015

Welcome to Court Systems and Practices

In this class there will be an overview of the federal and state court systems. The course identifies the roles of judicial officers and the trial processes from pretrial to sentencing and examines the types and rules of evidence. Emphasis is placed on constitutional laws for criminal procedures such as search and seizure, stop and frisk, and interrogation.

Tentative Course-Content Overview for Court Systems and Practices.

Below is a tentative syllabus for the year. This is only tentative, so lessons may change.

  1. First Six Weeks
  1. Structure of the legal system in the United States.
  2. Responsibilities of members of courtroom work groups.
  1. Second Six Weeks
  1. Steps by which a criminal charge is processed through pretrial, trial, adjudication, and the appellate stages.
  2. Structure and provisions of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
  1. Third Six Weeks
  1. Impact of the eighth amendment
  2. Due Process rights of a criminal suspect
  1. Fourth Six Weeks
  1. Explore the impact of pleas and plea bargaining
  2. Explore rules of discovery, challenges to evidence, and the bail process.
  1. Fifth Six Weeks
  1. Writing skills to facilitate effective field note taking and report writing.
  2. Impact of public opinion and the legislature in the court system in the United States.
  1. Sixth Six Weeks
  1. Victim and the defendant upon courtroom process
  2. Fourth Amendment regarding search and seizure.

Supplies

  • 1 inch binder
  • Dividers
  • Black or blue pens
  • Notebook paper
  • Composition Book

Grading, Make-up, and Late Work Policies

  • Major writing assignments, tests, projects, and presentations=60%; Daily assignments, homework, and quizzes=40%.
  • Make-up work- You have one day for each day you were absent to turn in your work.
  • Late work: Thirty points off if One day late; fifty points if two days late; I won’t accept any late work after two days late.

Extra-curricular activities are no excuse for late work.

Guidelines

  • Be on time in your assigned seat before the tardy bell rings.
  • Bring all materials to class and take them with you when you leave, unless you borrowed it from me.
  • Treat each person in this room with respect and dignity.
  • Follow all procedures and policies as outlined in the PHS Handbook.
  • This class is a No Whining Zone. That means that there will be no whining for any reason. Everything that I do is in your best interest, so please respect the No Whining Zone this year.
  • No food or Drinks allowed in the classroom.
  • No Cellphones, no exceptions!

Procedures/Expectations

When you enter the room:

  1. Enter quietly and immediately be seated.
  2. Get out supplies or borrow if you don’t have them.
  3. Begin working on the warm-up, this should be done before the bell rings.

If you are tardy:

  1. Enter quietly
  2. Sign Tardy Log
  3. Excused: Place excuse/hall pass in the front of my desk.

When you are absent:

  • It is your responsibility to get your assignments, I will not remind you to get assignments missed, and you should not ask me what you missed.
  • If you have questions about an assignment, please see me AFTER class or before or after school.

When you are finished with an assignment in class:

  1. Work on unfinished assignments
  2. Choose an article and reflect on it.

When you need to go to the restroom:

  • School policy dictates that restroom privileges be suspended the first and last 15 minutes of class, unless it is an emergency.
  • Wait until I’m NOT lecturing-during independent work only to ask.
  • Be back within a reasonable amount of time to keep this privilege.

Please complete the information below: sign, date, and return the form indicating that you are aware of the information I have shared with you. Please keep the rest of this letter as a reference. If you have any questions, please contact me. I look forward to a great year!

We, the undersigned, agree with the requirements, tentative course-content overview, grading percentages, make-up and late work policies, supplies required, guidelines and procedures/expectations for Mrs. Johnson’s Court
System and Practices class:

Student Name ( print) Student Signature

Parent/Guardian name (print) Parent/Guardian signature

Home phone Cell Phone Work phone

Parent email address