| Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure |
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| The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure were adopted in 1946. They govern the practice and procedure in all criminal proceedings in the federal court system. The goal of the rules is to assure the just determination of all criminal proceedings. The rules specify that they are to be interpreted to afford simplicity in procedure and fairness in administration. The rules are intended to prevent unnecessary delay and expense. More... |
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| Opening Statements and Closing Arguments at Trial |
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| A trial begins with opening statements by the attorneys for the litigants (the parties in the lawsuit). The plaintiff (the party suing) has the burden of proof in the case. This means the plaintiff must prove the allegations in his/her complaint in order to win the case. The standard of proof in a civil lawsuit is a preponderance of the evidence (the facts are more in favor of the plaintiff than the defendant, the party being sued.) In a criminal prosecution, the government is the plaintiff. The government has to prove a criminal defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. More... |
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| Juvenile Courts |
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| A juvenile court is a specialized civil court dealing with children who are under the age of 18 who are abused, neglected, dependent, delinquent, and status offenders. Some juvenile courts also have the power to require treatment for mentally ill or developmentally disabled children. The goal of the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate the juvenile. The juvenile court makes use of social service programs. There are important differences between juvenile courts and other civil courts. Juvenile hearings are usually closed to the public so that the juvenile's privacy is protected. A juvenile has no right to request a trial by jury. Juveniles cannot post bail in order to be released from detention. The probation officers involved in the juvenile justice system are court employees. They conduct evaluations and prepare reports to aid the juvenile judges in deciding a case. They also supervise juveniles who are placed on probation and report on the progress of juveniles on probation. More... |
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| Scientific Evidence |
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| Scientific evidence is demonstrative evidence or evidence that is introduced to prove a fact by some mode other than oral testimony. Scientific evidence is obtained by using the scientific method, a process of scientifically investigating physical evidence. The information obtained is considered valid since it has been tested. Any scientific evidence that is admitted during a trial must be both relevant (tends to prove or disprove the factual matter being considered by the court) and reliable or trustworthy. Handwriting analysis, fingerprint and footprint analysis, DNA analysis, and lie detector test results are all examples of scientific evidence. Generally, an expert witness is called to testify about the reliability of the scientific evidence sought to be introduced at trial. More... |
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| Guidance for a Defendant in Small Claims Court |
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| Small claims courts resolve disputes involving smaller dollar amounts than regular trial courts. For example, small claims courts in Wisconsin decide contract disputes, property damage actions, personal injury suits, evictions, the return of earnest money, and repossessions of property when the amount claimed is $5000 or less. More... |
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