Learning Objectives

9.1 List the major aspects of the initial appearance, jury selection, and pretrial motions.

9.2 Recognize the five stages of a criminal trial.

9.3 Describe the four major types of the evidence presented at trial.

9.4 Define the eight most common objections presented at trial.

9.5 Identify the options facing juries when rendering a verdict.

9.6 Summarize the difference between appellate hearings and trials.

9.7 Identify the differences between state and federal appeals courts.

9.8 Examine the key elements of the U.S. Supreme Court.

9.9 Identify the central political issues around appointing appellate judges.

9.10 Differentiate between the main schools of constitutional interpretation.