Criminal Law - 5- Your Rights in the Criminal Justice System

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Your Rights in the Criminal Justice System

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• Miranda Rights - a criminal suspect's rights during police interrogations, including the right to remain silent and the right to have an attorney present.
• Search and Seizure - the 4th Amendment offers protection from unreasonable searches and unlawful arrests.
• Strip Search after an Arrest - courts are split over whether jails and prisons can strip search inmates without an individualized suspicion.

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• Fifth Amendment Right Against Self-Incrimination - the government can't force individuals to make statements that would implicate them in a crime.
• Right to Counsel - criminal defendants have the right to legal representation by a qualified and competent attorney.
• Right to Speedy Jury Trial - the government must bring a defendant to trial in a reasonable amount of time.
• "Double Jeopardy" Protections - with a few important exceptions, the government can't prosecute individuals for the same crime twice.
• The 6th Amendment?s Confrontation Clause - defendants in a criminal case have the right to confront the witnesses against them.

Sun],l}:Sun],pQn]mG];Sc]wL:mG];l}:Tuk],vL;tam],' Your Rights if Convicted:

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• Right to Counsel - 1st Appeal - defendants have a right to an attorney for an appeal as well as at trial.
• No Cruel & Unusual Punishment - the sentences meted out by the criminal justice system cannot be unduly harsh.

One Another (- Joel & Victoria Osteen)

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One Another

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you"
(Ephesians 4:32, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

In this day and age, it's easy to become distracted, almost consumed with all the obligations we have on a daily basis. Cell phones, computers, the internet have all made it so much easier to pack more into our days. And while technology is a great blessing to us, we have to remember that how much we get done isn't as important as how we treat others. We should never be so focused on plowing through our "to do" list that we mistakenly plow past the people in our lives.

I love this verse in Ephesians that simply reminds us to be kind, to be compassionate, to be forgiving. If people had to be reminded back in those times, how much more do we need to be reminded today! We should always be on the lookout for ways we can be kind to one another. Can you share a smile with someone or an encouraging word? Can you help meet a need?

Remember, as a believer, you are the hands and feet of Jesus in this earth. Look for ways to serve one another. Sow a seed and watch the harvest of blessing in your own life in return!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for another day to live for You. Help me find creative ways to show kindness to the people you've put in my life. Show me ways I can sow seed and be a blessing to others. Thank You for equipping me to be Your representative and live in victory in every area of my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Crimal Law - 4- Criminal Law Procedures FAQ

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This instruction is crucial, because there is a natural tendency to assume that by not testifying, the defendant has done something wrong.  Instead, the defendant may have been instructed by his or her lawyer to not testify because:

• By taking the stand and testifying, the defendant opens up his or her past to questioning by the prosecution.  This means that the prosecution can bring up information to discredit or tarnish the defendant's reputation and believability.
• If a defendant testifies, a prosecutor may be able to bring up past crimes.
• The defendant may be a poor public speaker, seem angry, or even worse, nervous, which many jurors infer means the defendant is guilty of something.
• The defendant is simply not a "likeable" person, and the defense attorney does not want the client being convicted for his or her personality.

nG];Ek:An]Pit];rL,swUt]:tam],nk];el:Pit];rL,swUt]:tam],mw]nn].'mn];pqk],piUc]:kn]siUc].hiuw]?" What's the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?

puc],man],mn];Et.'tac];Pit];rL,swUt]:tam],nk];n}.Kw]:pQn]mQw];tac];Pit];rL,wUt]:ha}.haw]:kYam];nL,nn]. eS'sac]:pQn]An]ekL.l}:Kam],tiUc],n}.l}:vL;tam],tUk];Tgc],hiuc]'SPL,wmn];mgk]:pIniuc]:Am],nn]hiuc]liUw] nn].'nn].yw]."An]Kt];kn]w}.n}.'tac];Pit];rL,swUt]:tam],mw]n}.'Kw]:pQn]tac];Pit];rL,swUt]:mQw]; An]k}.hG]:ekL.l}:Kam],tiUc],n}.pn]tam],ciun];eSEl:'mac]pgk]:n}.l}:tUk];Tgc],ekL:'SPL,wmn];n}.k}.eA, eSpIniuc]:nn]."mI;tac];Pit];rL,swUt]:tc];nm]An]sac]:sg};JtL;SG],wL:pQn]tac];Pit];rL,wUt]:tam],nk]; Am],nn]ekL:tac];Pit];rL,swUt]:tam],mw]'n}nn].l}:'Aic]niUw]:tac];ha}.haw]:kYam];tac];Pit];rL,swUt]: nn].El:tac];KG]:hQt];Pa},Aw]Aey;sg};JtL;SG],nn].'yU,yw]."tI:Kgt],ygt]:lUp];lc]mn];sm].'tac];  hQt];An]l}:Kam],pn]tam],ciun];kUv];nn].n}.'SPL,wmn];n}.Et.'mn];Am],sG]:tac];Pit];rL,swUt]:nc], kaw],'mn];etL.Et.wL:pQn]An]Pit];pUn].ma}mI:An]niuc]:kUv];'(miUn]nc],An]hQt];ha}.pUn].pqn]ma}mI:ehL:kL; ehLhiUw];nn].)"  Generally, a felony is considered a more severe crime and as a result, the defendant is given more jail time - typically a year or more.  In contrast, misdemeanors are considered lesser crimes and are often punished by making the defendant pay a fine and sometimes serve jail time, but typically less than a year.  Many crimes can be charged as either a felony or misdemeanor, depending on the severity of the crime and the prosecutor's inclination.  Finally, conduct punished only by a fine is typically not a crime at all, but rather an infraction (such as a traffic violation).

An]wL:ekL.l}:Kam],tiUc],n}.'!AUn]:sG]AUn]:eKL;Am],Kam],l}:lgc]:sqt]:Tam]Tt];Sin]nn].'@n}n}.mn];   KG]:wL:pgc],Sc]? What does it mean that a defendant is "incompetent to stand trial"?

Sc]wL:mn];lqp]:etpQn]An]ekL.l}:Kam],tiUc],n}.'Am],sac]:hU.pgc],sqc]:lqc];sG]l}:sn].An]Aw]ey;sg}; JtL;En;SG],Kw]w}.nn].El:Sc]'Am],km].Tqm]PU:Sac]:tac]pk];piUc]pun]:tL,etL,SU:kqt],EKpn]Kw]nn]. l}:n}El:Sc]'epL;nn]siuc]'Kun]Tt];Sin]n}.etpUc]eKL:Sc],tL,hG]:Tt];Tgc]tUv];ekL.l}:Kam],tiUc],nn].' n}yU,yw]."lgc]:tL,Tt];Tgc]nn].etpQn]PU:lUc].lqn],Sa},kUw],pa};sG]'ekL.hQt];kan]Pa},sgp],tUv];lgc]: pqt]:lgc]:lqn]nn].ethQt];'piUw]:wL:'ekL.l}:Kam],tiUc],tc];nm]Kw]n}.k}.hQt];kQc]:wL:pQn]lUm];hUw]sG]Am],epL; lIn}eS'Aac]:ethLEw:pqt]:tam],nn]." If it seems like a defendant is simply not capable of understanding what the state is accusing them of and is unable to assist their attorney in their defense, then a judge may order an evaluation of the defendant.  The evaluation will be performed by a psychological professional who is practiced as detecting deception since many defendants may feign mental illness to avoid punishment

epL;wL:ekL.l}:Kam],tiUc],ekL.niuc]:n}.l}:An]piun]Paw],mak];ma}wL:'mn];pQn]ekL.AUn]:sG]AUn]:eKL;nn].wL:n} ekL:'n}.Am],KG]:pgc],wL:Kw]kGL,l}:lgt]:lgt]:lqw];lqw];yw].n}nn].nc],kaw],"PUiw],tL.etpQn]nn]'mn];KG]:  pgc],wL:'etl}:Aw]ekL.l}:Kam],tiUc],nn].Kiun]:hUc];yLPa}sG]tI:An]mI;lgc]:hUm],lUm]:nn].'liUw]eSAn]Aw] mn];kGL,SG],Tgc],'han].etL,ekL.l}:Kam],tiUc],n}.yum],wL:mn];mI;nm].kt].EK.KQc],Kiun];l}:nn].'wL:n}" If a defendant is declared incompetent, it does not mean that they can simply go free.  Instead, it means that the defendant will be placed into a secure mental hospital, rather than a jail, until the defendant is deemed competent to stand trial.

kQp];Aw]tI:pgc],mn];'           = Infer, -Conclude or judge for premise, guess, speculate,

kUw]Aa}epL;KQc]:epL;Kqc]'            = Nervous, -Highly excited, timid, tense,

ekL.Am],epL;mI;SUp];mI;SQc]'         = Poor public speaker,

Kw]:pQn]An]'                 = Is/are considered,

eKL:k}.Tam]' eKL:k}.k}.Tam]'         = FAQ, -Frequently asked questions ,

sgp],tUv];'                  = Detect,

etL.Et.pQn]'                = Rather, somewhat,

wL:sG]:lum];lum];'               = Affirmatively, -Asserting the truth, affirm,

nL:lImiut]:'                  = Likeable, nice, preferable, pleasant,

EnSak]:eS,km].Tqm]pn]'          = To prove,

pun]:Pgn];EnSak]:eS,'  = Burden of proof, -Responsibility to prove, the obligation to offer evidence,

Pit];pUn].ma}mI:'                = Infraction, breach,

mI;w}.niUw]'                   = Onto,

hac]:Pac]tac];yam]:tUw]kw],'    = Personality, -The visible aspect of one’s character impress others,

hQt];kQc]:wL:pQn]'               = Feign, pretend,

hG]:Ser,luu'          = Tarnish, -To injure credit or reputation, defame, discredit, blemish,

lQk].ng}.'                   = Petty, trivial, insignificant, little,

lUm];hUw]sG]Am],epL;lI'            = Mental illness,

Am],tap]:lUw],'               = Unnecessary, not necessary, not essential,

Aw]Aey;'(An]-)    = Prosecution, -The institution or carrying on of legal proceedings against a person ,