Courts and Trials: A Reference Handbook

by Christopher E. Smith

A collective overview of contemporary developments affecting court organization and judicial procedures.

America has a long history of sensationalized trials and infamous lawyers and judges, but what is the truth about how our system of jurisprudence really works? Courts and A Reference Handbook makes the subject accessible by presenting an overview of the organization of courts and procedures used in criminal and civil cases, with special emphasis on contemporary developments.

The book analyzes specific methods of selecting judges, the capacity of citizen-jurors to make appropriate decisions, cameras in the courtroom, "three strikes" laws, and the prosecution of juveniles as adults. The discussions illuminate competing perspectives on controversies that influence new initiatives and reforms affecting courts and their operations.

280 pages, Hardcover

First published February 25, 2003