CASE 8.3            For most Americans, the judge is the sym…

CASE 8.3            For most Americans, the judge is the symbol of justice. Of all the actors in the criminal justice process, the public holds the judge most responsible for ensuring that the system operates fairly and impartially. And most certainly the trappings of office—the flowing black robes, the gavel, and the command “All rise!” when the judge enters the courtroom—reinforce this mystique. As important as these symbols are, they sometimes raise obstacles to understanding what judges actually do and how they influence the criminal justice process. The formal powers of judges extend:

CASE 8.2 A U.S. district judge pled guilty to obstruction of…

CASE 8.2 A U.S. district judge pled guilty to obstruction of justice for lying to judges who investigated sexual misconduct complaints. Sentenced to 33 months in federal prison in May 2009, the judge attempted to retire from the bench, thereby allowing him to draw his salary. He was impeached and resigned from the bench in disgrace, effectively ending his impeachment trial. Who impeached the U.S. district judge?

CASE 7.2 Is it enough to have a lawyer? Must the lawyer also…

CASE 7.2 Is it enough to have a lawyer? Must the lawyer also be competent and effective? The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the effective assistance of counsel as essential to the Sixth Amendment guarantee (McMann v. Richardson, 1970). ​ The Court’s most significant holding regarding the effective assistance of counsel came in 1984 in which case?