SYLLABUS
COURTS AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
CJUS 250, SPRING 2013
CRN 20412
12:30-1:45
Tues-Thurs PD 114
Instructor: Andrew L. Warren, M.A., J.D.
Office: PD 136
Phone: 538-6422
FAX: 538-6264
E-mail: warrena1@wnmu.edu
Office Hours: I am available without an appointment Wednesday 2:00 to 4:00. Other times by
appointment.
Course Description
The class consists of a theoretical and practical examination of America’s court system as one of several
different methods of resolving disputes in society. Emphasis is on courtroom procedures and principles
of evidence. The function and role of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and police and probation
officers are examined. Prerequisite: none.
Course Objectives
Upon completion the student will be able to:
 discuss the purpose of the judiciary and assess the structure, function and operation of the court
system in society,
 define, compare, and contrast the dual system of courts.
 understand the concept of Federalism, the separation of powers between Federal and state
governments, and the role the Federal and state constitutions play in the prosecution of crimes;
 understand the role the courts play in interpreting constitutional and statutory provisions;
 identify informal mechanisms and systems that shape the operation of the judicial system.
 relate understanding of the role and perspective of the various actors in the judicial system.
 compare and contrast the judicial system in the U.S. to the systems used in other countries.
 compare and contrast adjudication with alternative methods of dispute resolution.
 describe state and Federal court procedures for trial and appellate court processes.
 differentiate between substantive and procedural law and describe the impact procedural law has
on the functioning of the judiciary.
 have a working knowledge of the Rules of Evidence.
 understand the basic sentencing structures of various jurisdictions and the formal and informal
mechanisms that affect sentencing decisions.
Reading Assignments
The textbook is America’s Court’s and the Criminal Justice System (10th ed.) by David Neubauer. A
tentative assignment schedule is attached. We may also cover some material on the rules of evidence
not covered by the book.
The supplemental reading for this class is Gideon’s Trumpet.
Both books are the subject of weekly quizzes. EXPECT QUIZZES AT ANY TIME.
Grading
There are three exams in this class; two during the term and a final. You should expect quizzes every
Thursday over both Gideon’s Trumpet and the assigned reading from Neubauer. Final grades are
assigned as follows:
(90 – 100%)
(80 – 89%)
(70 – 79%)
(60 – 69%)
(60%)
A
B
C
D
F
Grades may be curved in the discretion of the instructor.
I believe the five-paragraph essay is the basis of all good writing. There are three five- paragraph essays
assigned in this class.
The first is a draft of a five-paragraph essay over the movie Anatomy of a Murder. It will be returned and
you are required to make the corrections indicted. A second five-paragraph essay is assigned over the
movie12 Angry Men. When the instructions tell you “Do not deviate from this model by so much as a
single sentence, I mean it. Good writing requires discipline. Once you master, and I mean master the
discipline, then you are free to break the rules.
Test Schedule
Quizzes over both Neubauer and Gideon’s Trumpet should be expected AT ANY TIME. Quizzes
are worth 10 pts. each.
Exams are tentatively scheduled for February 14, April 9, and May 10. Make-up quizzes and exams will
be given only in cases of extreme emergency or university excused absences. If possible, I must be
notified in advance of the need to take a make-up. I am the judge of when this is possible and you should
expect to be required to produce documentary evidence to support the unavoidability of the absence.
The Final Exam is Thursday May 12 at 10:00 AM
Attendance
Attendance is taken in this class. Most of the material in this class is from the books, but lecture will
enable you to understand it. Any student whose grade is lower than a “C” and misses two consecutive
quizzes or tests may be dropped from the class. There is no guarantee that I will do so, but be advised
that it can happen. If you choose to drop the class that is your responsibility and you should NOT
assume that I will do it for excessive absences.
Disability Services
Students with special needs requiring accommodation should register with the Special Needs Office
(Juan Chacon Bldg. Room 210, 538-6498) at the beginning of the semester. With student permission,
that office will then notify instructors of any special services or equipment that a student requests.
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Tentative Schedule (subject to change in the discretion of the instructor)
FREQUENT QUIZZES OVER ASSIGNED MATERIAL SHOULD BE EXPECTED AT ALL TIMES
January 10
Syllabus
lecture on five-paragraph essay
Start Movie (five paragraph essay assignment)
January 15
Movie
January 17
Movie
January 22
Chapter 1 lecture
Gideon Chapter 1
January 24
Chapter 2 lecture
Movie Five-Paragraph Essay Due (10 pts)
January 29
Chapter 2 lecture
Gideon Chapter 2
January 31
Chapter 3 lecture
February 5
Chapter 3 lecture
Gideon Chapter 3
February 7
Chapter 4 lecture
February 12
Chapter 4 lecture
Gideon Chapter 4
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February 14
First Exam: Neubauer chapters 1-4,
Chapter 5 lecture
February 19
Chapter 5 lecture
Gideon Chapter 5
February 21
Chapter 5-6 lecture
February 26
Chapter 6 lecture
Gideon Chapter 6
February 28
Chapter 7 lecture
March 5
Spring Break
March 7
Spring Break
March 12
Chapter 7 lecture
Gideon Chapter 7
March 14
Chapter 8 lecture
March 19
Chapter 8 lecture
Gideon Chapter 8
March 21
Chapter 9 lecture
March 26
Chapter 9 lecture
Gideon Chapter 9
March 28
No Class
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March 31
Chapter 10 lecture
April 2
Chapter 10 lecture
Gideon Chapter 10
April 4
Chapter 11 lecture
April 9
Second Exam: Neubauer Chapts. , 5-11
Chapter 12 lecture
Gideon Chapter 11
April 11
Chapter 12 lecture
April 16
Chapter 13 lecture
Gideon Chapter 12
April 18
Chapter 13 lecture
April 23
Chapter 14 lecture
Movie
Gideon Chapter 13
April 25
Movie
April 30
Movie
Gideon Chapter 14
May 2
Make-up Day7
May 7 10:00 AM
Final Chapts. 12-14
Academic Integrity: This is a big deal with me. The following excerpt from the WNMU catalog makes it
pretty clear.
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“Each student shall observe standards of honesty and integrity in academic work completed at WNMU.
Students may be penalized for violations of the academic integrity policy.
Defintions
Violations include any behavior that misrepresents or falsifies a student’s knowledge, skills or ability with
the goal of unjustified or illegitimate evaluation or gain. Such violations include two broad categories: (1)
cheating and (2) plagiarism.
(1) Cheating includes, but is not limited to, using or attempting to use unauthorized materials such as
notes, texts, images, electronic devices, and unauthorized copies of test materials. Cheating is also
understood to mean unauthorized collaboration with others, copying the work of another, or any action
that presents the work of others to misrepresent the student’s knowledge, skills, or ability;
(2) Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the intentional or unintentional representation of another’s
work as one’s own without proper acknowledgement of the original author or creator of the work, failure to
quote and/or cite sources, providing or receiving unauthorized assistance in the preparation of any
academic work, the fabrication of sources or information, or submitting the same work for more than one
course/instructor without the permission of the current course instructor.”
I take academic dishonesty VERY seriously and will impose the maximum punishment if I catch it. At a
very minimum you should expect a zero on the paper or assignment in which academic dishonesty is
detected. See me if you have questions about this.
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