2015-2016
Court Systems and Practices
Syllabus
Official Course Description
COURSE NUMBER
13029600
COURSE TITLE
Court Systems and Practices
COURSE CREDIT
Credits: 1
MEETING TIME
Monday-Friday
Instructor: Carey Antwine
Telephone Number: (915) 937-2800, Ext. 73012
I.
Course Description:
Court Systems and Practices is an overview of the federal and state court systems. The course identifies
the role of judicial officers and the trial process from pretrial through sentencing and examines the types
and rules of evidence. Emphasis is placed on constitutional laws for criminal procedures such as search
and seizure, stop and frisk, and interrogation.
II.
Rationale:
This course provides an in depth look at the criminal justice system, building upon what the
student has learned in the Principles of Law course or providing a fundamental understanding of the
criminal courts as a stand-alone course.
III.
College Preparation/Credit
This course is similar to one offered at the college level. Students taking this course will use a collegelevel text book. (Students taking this course as a dual credit course will receive 3 hours of college credit in
the fall for Foundations of Criminal Justice in the fall and 3 hours for Court Systems and Practices in the
spring if the student receives a passing grade. Dual credit students will receive an additional syllabus
from the El Paso Community College professor).
IV.
Course Objectives:
Semester 1 (Fall)
1. Legal Foundation
2. Types of Courts
3. People Involved in the Courts
Semester 2 (Spring)
4. The Court Process
5. Current Issues
6. Future of Court
(Dual Credit Students: Please refer to your EPCC
syllabus)
V.
Assessment: Student assignments allow for the fair assessment of student performance and the
effectiveness of teaching techniques. Instructors use data from assessment activities to modify how the
course is taught to continuously improve student understanding and mastery of course material. Therefore,
the student should give his best effort for each and every assessment. All written assignments must be
typed or written in pen. Assignments written in pencil will not accepted. Barring hospitalization or other
serious circumstance, late work will not be accepted without prior written authorization from the
instructor. The acceptance of late work is at the discretion of the teacher. The student is required to
contact the teacher via email to request an extension; otherwise, the student will receive a zero for the
assignment. The student is responsible for requesting make- up work the day he returns to school after an
Created Summer 2010
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2015-2016
excused absence. The student will have one day for each day he is absent to make up the work. Students
are not allowed to make up work for unexcused absences.
Grading Policy for each 9 Week Session
Daily assignments/Quizzes=50%
Tests/Projects=30%
Nine Weeks Test=20%
Dual Credit Students will receive a grade for the high school class according to the above grading policy
but will receive a grade for the college class according to the guidelines set forth in the EPCC syllabus.
VI.
Materials and Requirements
Provided Materials:
 Courts and Criminal Justice in America, Larry J. Siegel, et. al.
 Various materials provided in class
Materials Required: (Students are expected to come to class prepared every day).
 Pen (required for all written assignments)
 Notebook (spiral or composition only, no folders, binders, etc.; this notebook may only contain
notes for this course and must be kept in the classroom unless the teacher specifies otherwise).
 Glue stick(s) (the student will be required to glue papers into his notebook and is required to have
a glue stick at all times).
Materials Requested: (Students who bring this item will receive extra credit)
 Box of tissue
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
Certifications
Not applicable.
CTSO (Career and Technical Skills Organizations)
Skills USA, National Technical Honor Society, Student Bar Associations
Fees for Course: possible fees for field trips and supplies.
Brief semester outline of course of study
Weeks
1 -3
3-6
6-9
10-12
13-15
16-18
Fall Semester
Topics
Introduction, case study, case briefing, review
Legal foundations
Control of the courts
Federal courts, state courts, juvenile courts
Specialty courts, judges, prosecutors
Defense attorneys, defendants, victims
Spring Semester
Weeks
1 -3
3-6
6-9
10-12
13-15
16-18
Created Summer 2010
Topic
Arrest process, plea bargaining
Jury trial
Jury trial
Sentencing, appeals, habeas corpus
Differential treatment, future of the courts
Constitutional criminal procedure
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