| Course: Court Systems and Practices | |||
| 1st Nine Weeks | 2nd Nine Weeks | 3rd Nine Weeks | 4th Nine Weeks |
| Unit/Cluster(s): | Unit/Cluster(s): | Unit/Cluster(s): | Unit/Cluster(s): |
Unit: 1 Professional Standards and Communication Skills (2 Weeks) -explore and discuss employability skills and professional standards in the court system
-ethical use of technology
-employability skills standards such as attendance, on time arrival, and meeting deadlines
-importance of working toward personal/team goals
-resources available through CTSO or other extracurricular organization(s) to further develop leadership and interpersonal skills
Unit: 2 The U.S. Legal System (7 Weeks) -history, structure, and function at all levels of the court systems
-jurisdictional impact of criminal charges and trial proceedings
-distinguish between constitutional law, case law, statutory law, and administrative law
-differences in processing a misdemeanor and felony cases
-relationship of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights upon the court
-compare and contrast state and federal court systems | cont. Unit: 2 The U.S. Legal System (3 Weeks) -explain and interpret the purposes of law regarding criminal acts and behaviors
-describe and interpret the impact of the grand jury process on court proceedings regarding criminal scenarios
-describe the impact of public opinion and the legislature on the U.S. court system
Unit: 3 Roles and Responsibilities of Courtroom Work Groups (6 Weeks) -understand various professionals working in the court system as well as their roles and responsibilities
-explain the roles of professionals such as the police, prosecutor, judge, victim advocates, and criminal defense attorney in the criminal process
-examine the roles and importance of members of the courtroom such as the jury, bailiff, and court reporter
-analyze the impact of the victim and the defendant upon the courtroom process
Fall Common Collaborative Assessment | cont. Unit: 3 Roles and Responsibilities of Courtroom Work Groups (1 Week) -discuss the dynamics of assembly line justice and discretion found in court proceedings
Unit: 4 Courtroom Communication Skills (4 Weeks) -courtroom communication and writing skills -evaluation during testimony of body language, gestures, tone, and inflection -interpersonal skills to formulate effective field note taking and report writing Unit:5 Pre-Trial, Trial, Adjudication, and Appellate Stages
(4 Weeks) -examine the steps by which a criminal charge is processed through pre-trial, trial, adjudication, and the appellate stages -evaluate a simulated criminal case and identify the trial process from pre-trial to sentencing -explain pre-trial court proceedings such as rules of discovery, challenges to evidence, and the bail process -distinguish between direct and circumstantial evidence and burden of proof for federal and state courts | Unit:5 Pre-Trial, Trial, Adjudication, and Appellate Stages
(1 Week) -explore the impact of pleas and plea bargaining on the trial proceedings -identify the trial process from pre-trial to sentencing Unit:6 The U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights
(8 Weeks) -explain the structure and provisions of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights and how they impact the criminal trial
-apply the police responsibilities under the Fourth Amendment regarding search and seizure
-determine if a search initiated was proper under the provisions of the Fourth Amendment
-analyze the exclusionary rule and the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine
-determine if evidence obtained in a search illegally is admissible in court
-explain the impact of the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth amendments on the criminal justice system
-analyze the effect of landmark cases such as Miranda v. Arizona, Weeks v. United States, Mapp v. Ohio, Douglas v. California, and Escobedo v. Illinois
-describe due process rights of a criminal suspect in the trial and sentencing process
-explain the impact of the Fifth and Sixth amendments on the criminal trial process
Spring Common Collaborative Assessment |
Required Project:
U.S. Supreme Court Justices Research Activity | Required Project:
Public Opinion Influenced Law and Punishment Activity | Required Project:
Criminal Case Profile Research Activity | Required Project:
Death Penalty Research Activity |
Additional Activities:
Crisis Intervention (Project Based Learning Activity) | Additional Activities: | Additional Activities: | Additional Activities: |
| Found in the Main Curriculum... | |||
Employability Skills:
Teamwork-Problem Solving | Employability Skills:
Job Seeking Skills | Employability Skills:
Self-Management | Employability Skills:
Civic and Social Responsibility |
