Instructor: Joe Wojcik Office Phone: 832-493-7337
Office: N/A
E-mail:
Course Title:
Joseph.Wojcik@hccs.edu
Court Systems and
Practices
Course Prefix:
Course Number:
Credit Hours:
Lecture Hours:
CRIJ
1306
3
48
Office Hours:
Website:
Semester and Year:
Class Days & Times:
Class Room:
By Appointment
N/A
Fall 2012
T/Th 9:30-11:00 am
TBD
Course Description
Study of the judiciary in the American criminal justice system and the adjudication processes and procedures.
Student Learning Outcomes
·
·
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
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 (5 th ) 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.
Rudy Hardy-Department Chair
Phone: 713-718-5724
Email: hildreth.hardy@hccs.edu
G RADE D ETERMINATION :
Your grade will be determined by the following
Details Points Percent of
Final
Average
Two (2) Examinations
Four (4) Trial Summaries
Multiple Choice/True and False/short answer
See “Assignments” below
200
200
50
50
Total: 400 100%
L ETTER G RADE A SSIGNMENT :
Letter Grade Final Average in Percent
A
360-400
B
320-359
C
280-319
D
240-279
F
239 and below
Attendance: If you plan to miss, or are unable to attend class, please contact me via email or telephone (text, voicemail, etc.). Excessive absences will affect your final grade. A fifth (5 th ) 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: No assignments will be accepted via email. 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.

09/04-06
3
09/11-13
4
09/18-20
5
09/25-27
6
10/02-04
7
10/09-11
Details of assignments-
 Two (2) examinations will be given during the semester. They shall consist of multiple choice and short answer questions.
 Four Trial Summary assignments will be due at the end of the semester. These will be composed of a summary of a trial proceeding attended by the student. A summary template will be on the Learning Web with additional guidelines.
SCANS Competencies
This course will promote reading comprehension, critical analysis and learning how to learn.
EGLS
3
-- 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 researchbased 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.
:
Week Number Activities and Assignment
1
Expectations/Syllabus
Objectives and Details
Class Expectations and Review of Syllabus
08/28-30
Chapter 1 An Overview of Criminal Justice in America
Chapter 2 Arrest, Appearance and Preliminary Hearing
2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Trial Summary Assignment
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Bail
The Charging Instrument
Off Campus
Guilty Pleas
Criminal Trial

Week Number Activities and Assignment
8
Chapter 6
10/16-18
Exam Review
9
10/23-25
Trial Summary Assignment
10
Chapter 7
10/30-11/01
11
11/06-08
Chapter 7
12
Trial Summary Assignment
11/13-15
13
11/20-22
Chapter 8
14
Chapter 9
11/27-29
15
12/04-06
Trial Summary Assignment
12/04
16
Final Examination
**
Objectives and Details
Criminal Trial
Midterm Exam
Sentencing, Crime and Corrections
Last Day to Drop With a “W”-11/02**
Sentencing, Crime and Corrections
Appeals and Habeas Corpus
Special Problems: Location of Trial and Double Jeopardy
Final Exam Review
12/06
12/11, 9:00 am
12/11-13
Academic Integrity
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 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. When there is clear evidence of cheating, plagiarism, collusion or misrepresentation, disciplinary action may include but is not limited to: requiring you to retake or resubmit an exam or assignment, assigning a grade of zero or "F" for an exam or assignment; or assigning a grade of "F" for the course. Additional sanctions including being withdrawn from the course, program or expelled from school may be imposed on a students who violate the standards of academic integrity.
Student Behavior Expectations
Students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately while on HCCS 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/or online environment, as well as face subsequent criminal charges, as appropriate.
Americans with Disabilities Act Statement
Houston Community College is dedicated to providing the least restrictive environment for all students. We promote equity in academic access through the implementation of reasonable accommodations as required by the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title V, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(ADA) which will enable students with disabilities to participate in and benefit from all post-secondary educational activities.
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.
Equal Opportunity Statement
It is the policy of the Houston Community College System to provide equal employment, admission and educational opportunities without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, gender, age, veteran's status, sexual orientation, or disability.
HCCS strive to provide an excellent learning environment free from harassment or intimidation directed at any person’s race, color, creed, national origin, gender, age, veteran's status, sexual orientation, or disability. Any form of harassment will not be tolerated.
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. 5960 of the HCC Catalog.”