Courtroom Proceedings
Kaplan College
Abstract
This paper is going to briefly discuss what happens after an individual is arrested for violating the law. It will also discuss the court proceedings that take place from the first appearance to the sentencing phase. It will also provide descriptions of the key players and their duties and responsibilities in during court proceedings. Lastly, this paper is going to give an analyzed example of a court proceeding describing what was saw, heard, experienced, and learned.
The criminal justice system includes three components; which are the police, the courts, and corrections. The police have the first contact with the suspect. When a crime is committed, the first step is for the police to arrest the suspect. In order for the police to make an arrest, they must first have probable cause. “Probable cause exists when the facts and circumstances with the officer’s knowledge, and of which he or she has reasonable trustworthy information, are sufficient to cause a reasonably cautious person to believe that an offense has been or is being committed” (Roberson, Wallace, & Stuckey, 2010). During the arrest, the police must read the accused his rights. These rights are called the Miranda rights or Miranda warning.
Reading the Miranda warning is a very important step when someone is arrested. If the Miranda is not given to a defendant, the case could be dismissed. The Miranda must be read to a suspect who is being interrogated or questioned in police custody. A suspect can be apprehended or put in hand cuffs, but until the police start to question them, the Miranda warning does not have to be given. Harr, Hess, & Orthmann, “the four warnings included in the Miranda are (1) you have the constitutional right to remain silent, (2) anything you say can and will be used against you in court, (3) you have the right to talk to a lawyer now and have him represent you (4) if you cannot afford a lawyer,...