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a) What are the main types of pretrial motions and what purposes do they serve? b) Discuss the public trial guarantee and the circumstances in which courts can close proceedings. c) Explain the role of the judge and the jury during a criminal trial.
a) Summarize the major shifts in sentencing policy and practice in U.S. history. b) Compare and contrast indeterminate and determinate sentencing systems. c) How have sentencing guidelines attempted to reduce unwarranted disparities while allowing for case-specific factors?
a) What is the constitutional right to a jury trial and when does it apply? b) Summarize the key stages of the jury selection process. c) Analyze the Supreme Court's decisions on racial discrimination in peremptory challenges and their impact.
a) When does the Sixth Amendment right to counsel attach? b) What constitutes a "critical stage" of prosecution for purposes of the right to counsel? c) Explain how courts determine whether a defendant is indigent and entitled to appointed counsel.
a) What is the standard for determining whether a defendant received ineffective assistance of counsel? b) Discuss the rationale for allowing defendants to waive counsel and represent themselves. c) How have courts balanced the right to self-representation with the need for a fair trial?
a) What are the main considerations that guide a prosecutor's charging decisions? b) How do grand juries and preliminary hearings serve as checks on prosecutorial discretion? c) Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of plea bargaining from the standpoint of prosecutors, defendants, and the public.
a) Distinguish between pretrial release on bail and pretrial detention based on dangerousness. b) What factors do courts consider in setting bail amounts? c) Evaluate the impact of bail on indigent defendants and discuss reform proposals.
a) When does a police officer have an affirmative duty to protect an individual under the Due Process Clause? b) Discuss the standards for holding local governments liable under Section 1983. c) Compare the remedies available against federal officers for constitutional violations to those against state and local officers.
a) What are the main civil remedies available for constitutional violations by law enforcement officers? b) Explain the requirements for bringing a Section 1983 action against state and local officers. c) How do absolute and qualified immunity defenses apply in Section 1983 litigation?
a) Summarize the main exceptions to the exclusionary rule. b) When does the good faith exception apply? c) What is the inevitable discovery doctrine and how does it limit the exclusionary rule?