Criminal Procedure: Trial

How do grand juries work? Under what circumstances can someone be detained before they are actually convicted of a crime? What is a speedy trial ? When can someone fire their attorney and represent themselves? How do you litigate negative pretrial publicity? How do you pick a jury? What actually happens in a trial? What happens after the trial?

This course examines the answers to those questions and more, covering the criminal process after the police investigation ends. The course traces the path of a criminal case from the initial charging decision through post-conviction proceedings, with emphasis on the various formal court proceedings along the way. As part of the course, students will gain practical experience and understanding through simulations of federal court proceedings.

This course is one of three basic Bill of Rights courses offered by the law school (along with Constitutional Law II and Criminal Process: Investigation) and covers topics that are frequently part of the bar exam. In addition, this course is vital for anyone contemplating a career in criminal law or a judicial clerkship. The only prerequisite is the first-year Criminal Law course. PLEASE NOTE that this course may be taken independently of Criminal Process: Investigation neither course is a pre-requisite for the other one.