Vocabulary
A student sees a classmate drop a $20 bill in the hallway. The student quietly picks it up and keeps walking instead of returning it.
Which vocabulary word best describes the student's behavior?
A. Credible
B. Culpable
C. Arbitration
D. Delegate
B. Culpable
I'm charged with a felony. What is the court called that will handle my case?
Hint: it is located in the Justice Center
Court of Common Pleas
A word that means rule or law.
(If pronounced wrong, you don't get points!)
Statute
What is the name of the case?
State of Buckeye v. Morgan Remy
This type of attorney works for the government and tries to prove that a defendant committed a crime.
Prosecutor
During a lawsuit, one witness says the traffic light was green. Another witness says the traffic light was red. The two stories cannot both be true.
Which Week Two vocabulary word best describes the relationship between the witnesses' statements?
Contradict
What court does NOT send people to prison?
Municipal court
The guilty mind AND the guilty hand is otherwise known as ___ AND _____. WRITE the words on the board. If spelled wrong, NO points!
mens rea and actus reus
What is the issue of this case?
Did police obtain the genealogy evidence in a constitutional way?
Should the genealogy evidence be suppressed (excluded) because it violated the Fourth Amendment?
This legal professional represents people accused of crimes and argues on their behalf in court.
Defense attorney
The student council president asks three other students to make posters, organize supplies, and create a presentation for the school event.
What did the student council president do?
Delegate
How many judges make up the Municipal Court's general division?
12
What are the steps of determining if someone is guilty/liable? (Statute and scenario steps)
STEP 1: Identify the statutory elements
STEP 2: Identify the statute’s required mens rea
STEP 3: Look at the scenario! Determine what the defendant’s mens rea was at the time the crime is committed.
STEP 4: Looking at the scenario, determine the defendant’s actus reus
STEP 5: Check if the statutory elements/mens rea align with the defendant’s actus reus/mens rea →answer whether the defendant can be convicted of the crime!
The defense filed a motion after Remy was convicted. What is the motion called AND what does the motion mean?
Motion to suppress. Suppressing evidence
A person who cannot afford a lawyer in a criminal case may be represented by one of these government-paid attorneys.
public defender
A state legislature passes a new statute prohibiting students from riding skateboards inside school buildings. The statute states that "dangerous wheeled devices" are prohibited. A student receives a punishment for riding roller skates and argues that the law is ambiguous because it never specifically mentions roller skates. During the lawsuit, one credible witness testifies that the student was skating in the hallway, while another witness provides only circumstantial evidence that the student may have been skating earlier that day.
Which witness provides stronger evidence and why?
The credible witness (because the witness directly observed the event, while circumstantial evidence only suggests it occurred)
Judge Horton told us the first step of a criminal court case. It is where you are read your charges so you know what you are being charged with. What is this step in a criminal case called?
Arraignment
A legal statute for voluntary manslaughter does not have a mens rea in it. What mens rea do we have to assume applies?
The D acted negligently, are they guilty? Why or why not?
Assume recklessly when a statute is silent on mens rea.
D is not guilty because he was negligent, which is a lower mens rea than recklessly.
What medical condition did Frankie Moyo learn she was prone to after receiving her DNA results from GeneHeritage?
NO NOTES!
cystic fibrosis
This legal professional helps parties resolve disputes through negotiation and compromise rather than having a judge or jury decide the case.
mediator
A jury carefully reviews evidence during deliberation and ultimately finds a defendant guilty. What vocabulary word describes the result of that guilty verdict?
AND
The jury had to be put in a hotel and were stripped of all electronic devices for 2 weeks while determining the case. What is the word that explains what was done to the jury? SPELL this on the board.
Conviction AND sequestered jury
Judge Saffold had three HUGE art pieces on the back wall of her office. Who were they/who did they represent?
RBG, Trayvon Martin, and Constance Baker Motley
Statute
A person commits robbery when the person purposely takes property from another person by using or threatening force.
Scenario
At lunch, a student notices another student carrying a brand-new pair of expensive wireless earbuds.
The student walks over and says:
"Those are nice earbuds. Give them to me, or I'll make sure everyone on the basketball team knows about those embarrassing videos you made last year."
The owner responds:
"You wouldn't do that."
The student takes a step closer and says:
"Try me."
Feeling nervous and afraid of what might happen, the owner hands over the earbuds. The student smiles, pockets them, and walks away.
Is the student guilty of robbery? Go through all 5 steps.
Mens Rea: Purposely
Elements
Mens rea of D = purposely
Yes, the student is guilty
Frankie voluntarily provided his DNA to GeneHeritage. What legal doctrine does this invoke?
Third party doctrine
This legal professional evaluates evidence, interviews witnesses, and determines whether enough evidence exists to bring criminal charges.
prosecutor