Houston Community College
CRIJ 1306-Court Systems and Practices
Fall 2013
Instructor contact information
Instructor:
Office:
E-mail:
Course Title:
Joe Wojcik
N/A
Joseph.Wojcik@hccs.edu
Court Systems and Practices
Course Prefix:
Course Number:
Credit Hours:
Lecture Hours:
Office Phone:
832-493-7337
Office Hours:
By Appointment
Website:
Semester and Year:
CRIJ
1306
3
48
Class Days & Times:
N/A
Fall 2013
T/Th 9:30-11:00 am
Class Room:
219
Course Description
Study of the judiciary in the American criminal justice system and the adjudication processes and procedures.
Student Learning Outcomes
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Articulate the role and authority of the judiciary in the American criminal justice system.
Apply rules of pretrial and trial procedure including jurisdiction, venue, limitations, notice, bail, grand jury, arraignment, guilty pleas,
jury selection, and adjudication.
Apply rules of evidence including types of evidence, predicates, objections, and application of the exclusionary rule.
Explain a United States Supreme Court opinion that interprets a right guaranteed by the United States Constitution.
Identify and use primary and secondary sources for legal research.
Analyze ethical issues concerning the judiciary in the American criminal justice system and the adjudication processes and
procedures.
Identify future trends in criminal procedure and evidence.
Required Material: Criminal Justice Procedure, Carlson, 7E, LexisNexis Anderson; 9781593459611
GRADE DETERMINATION:
Your grade will be determined
by the following
Three (3) examinations
Multiple Choice/True and False/short answer
300
Percent of
Final
Average
50
Three (3) Critical Thinking
Assignments
See “Assignments” below
300
50
600
100%
Total:
Details
Points
LETTER GRADE ASSIGNMENT:
Letter Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Final Average in Percent
540-600
480-539
420-479
360-419
359 and below
Instructor guidelines and policies
Attendance: If you plan to miss, or are unable to attend class, please contact me via email or
telephone (text, voicemail, etc.). Failure to do so will result in the documentation of an unexcused absence. Excessive absences will affect
your final grade. A fifth (5th) absence will decrease your overall grade by ten (10) points, six (6) absences by twenty (20) points, and seven (7)
absences by fifty (50) points. More than seven (7) absences will affect your grade by one hundred (100) points.
Assignments: Assignments are due on the dates indicated on the date indicated on this syllabus. Late assignments will be accepted at the
discretion of the instructor. Late assignments will not receive full credit. Late assignments will receive no more than eighty percent (80%) of
its originally assigned value, and must be received no later than the next time class meets. Assignments received later will receive no more
than fifty percent (50%) of its original value.
Details of assignments
Three (3) examinations will be given during the semester. They shall consist of multiple choice and short answer questions.

Three (3) Critical Thinking Assignments. More details and guidelines will be posted on the Learning Web.
Department/Division Contact:
Rudy Hardy-Department Chair
Phone: 713-718-5724
Email: hildreth.hardy@hccs.edu
Make-up Exams: Rescheduling of examinations will be at the Instructor’s discretion. Students must contact the instructor to reschedule any
examinations not completed on the scheduled date.
Cell phones and other electronic devices: During class time, all cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned off. Cell phone
use during class is prohibited. If you are expecting to receive an emergency telephone call, discuss with the instructor before class. If you
receive such a call, please leave the room to complete it. Laptops will not be allowed without prior discussion and permission of the instructor.
Student Discipline: Students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately while on College property or in an online environment.
Students may receive disciplinary action up to and including suspension, if they violate System or College rules, disrupt classes, or interfere
with the opportunity of others to obtain an education. Students who pose a threat to the safety of others will be subject to immediate
withdrawal from the classroom, campus environment, and may result in an administrative withdrawal without refund, as well as face
subsequent criminal charges, as appropriate.
Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning,
psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the
respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability
Support Services Office.
For questions, contact Donna Price at 713.718.5165 or the Disability Counselor at your college. The Disability Counselor for HCC-Northwest is
Mahnaz Kolaini, 713-718-5422. To visit the ADA Web site, log on to www.hccs.edu, click Future Students, scroll down the page and click on
the words Disability Information.
Withdrawal: Students who take a course for the third time or more must now pay
significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. At HCC it is an additional $50 per credit hour. If you
are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning passing grades, confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible
about your study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or
other assistance that might be available. Also, the state of Texas has passed a new law limiting new students (as of Fall 2007) to no more
than six withdrawals throughout their academic career in obtaining a baccalaureate degree.
Due to new HCC policies and state mandates, I will NOT withdraw students for low or no attendance. If you wish to withdraw from this course,
please contact a counselor in Student Services or me. I recommend that you discuss this with me before you decide, but the decision is yours.
The last day that you can withdraw is 11/03/2010, 4:30PM. If you do not withdraw by this date, you will NOT receive a 'W'.
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
If you are caught cheating in any way, on a quiz, a test, a paper, or a project, you will receive an 'F' for the course. I will follow school policy; I
do not negotiate "second chances," period. Please--if you are having trouble of any kind, discuss it with me. The tiny advantage you would get
from cheating is vastly outweighed by the risk you would be taking. I am willing to help in any way I can, but I will NOT excuse cheating, no
matter how much I like you or feel sorry for you.
The Houston Community College is committed to a high standard of academic integrity in the academic community. In becoming a part of the
academic community, students are responsible for honesty and independent effort. Failure to uphold these standards includes, but is not
limited to, the following: plagiarizing written work or projects, cheating on exams, quizzes or assignments, collusion on an exam or project, and
misrepresentation of credentials or prerequisites when registering for a course. Cheating includes looking at or copying from another student's
exam, orally communicating or receiving answers during an exam, having another person take an exam or complete a project or assignment,
using unauthorized notes, texts, or other materials for an exam, and obtaining or distributing an unauthorized copy of an exam or any part of
an exam. Plagiarism means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another (that is, without giving proper credit by documenting
sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a paper, report, or project that someone else has prepared, in whole or in part. Collusion is
inappropriately collaborating on assignments designed to be completed independently. These definitions are not exhaustive.
SCANS Competencies
This course will promote reading comprehension, critical analysis and learning how to learn.
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a
designated time, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results
of the survey will be made available to your professors and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part
of the Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.
Other Student Information: student clubs, tutoring (in person, in libraries, computer programs, and online), labs, web resources, student
services, service learning, scholarships and other opportunities, etc.
HCC Core Curriculum: Check with your chair to see whether this statement or a similar one is required.
“For information regarding HCC’s Core Curriculum, see p. 46 of the HCC Catalog. For information about HCC’s Social
Sciences Exemplary Educational Objectives, see p. 59-60 of the HCC Catalog.”
Tentative Instructional Schedule/Outline: Please understand that this schedule may change at any time and it is the responsibility
of the student to be aware of any changes and important dates.
Week Number
Activities and Assignment
Objectives and Details
Expectations/Syllabus
Class Expectations and Review of Syllabus
1
8/27-29
2
Chapter 1
An Overview of Criminal Justice in America: The Role of Criminal Procedure in
the Criminal Justice Process
Chapter 2
The 4th Amendment
Chapter 3
Arrests
Chapter 4
Searches: General
Chapter 5
Automobile Searches: exceptions to the warrant requirement
Exam Review and exam
Exam Review/Exam #1, 10/03
9/3-5
3
9/10-12
4
9/17-19
5
9/24-26
6
10/1-3
Critical Thinking Assignment #1 due10/03
Week Number
7
Activities and Assignment
Objectives and Details
Chapter 6
Exceptions to the Warrant Requirement: Plain View, Open Fields, Abandoned
Property and Consent Searches
Chapter 7
Search Incident to a Lawful Arrest, Hot Pursuit
Chapter 8
Airport, Border, and Other Exigencies
Chapter 9
The 5th Amendment
10/8-10
8
10/15-17
9
10/22-24
10
10/29-31
**Last Day to Drop With a “W”-11/01**
11
11/05-07
Exam Review and exam
Exam Review/Exam #2, 11/07
Critical Thinking Assignment #2 due 11/07
12
Chapter 10
The 6th Amendment
Chapter 11
The Adversary System
11/12-14
13
11/19-21
14
Special Topics
11/26
15
12/3-5
12/10
Special Topics
Final Exam Review
12/03
12/05
Final Examination
12/10, 9:30 pm
Critical Thinking Assignment #3 due