In The Courts Webquest

In The Courts Webquest

By Terri Mason

​What’s it like to be a judge? Is it really all about wearing a black robe, or is there more to it than that? (You probably already know the answer.)

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Watch the first video clip in this series that gives you a judge’s-eye view of our court system.

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Click Here for Video​

You Be The Judge!

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Open Ended

Why do people usually end up in a courtroom?

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There are two major types of court cases: criminal and civil.

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Discussion: Can you give an example of each?​

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Click here for Video

Criminal & Civil Cases

If you’ve ever watched a fictional trial on TV, the part you probably didn’t see was all the preparation the judge has to do beforehand. (It’s pretty boring to watch someone read.)

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Follow the link to the next video segment and learn how judges prepare for a trial.

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Click Link for Video

What Happens Before Trial?

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Open Ended

Explain what an "answer" is in your own words.

Open Ended

How does this paperwork help the judge?

Trials that happen on television shows are usually more exciting than trials in real life, but they give you a pretty good idea of what happens in a trial. But television is about entertainment, so you don’t get the nuts and bolts of everyone’s role in the courtroom. What is the judge really doing up there?

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Click Link for Video

What Happens at Trial

Multiple Choice

What is a jury?

• A group of citizens who watch the trial unfold from the courtroom and take notes for the press.

• A jury is a group of people, who are chosen to represent the defendant in the case and make a decision regarding a defendant's guilt based on the evidence submitted to the court.

• A jury is a group of people, one's peers, who are chosen to listen to a case and make a decision regarding a defendant's guilt based on the evidence submitted to the court.

• Volunteers who help citizens create and file lawsuits if they cannot afford an attorney.

Multiple Choice

Explain the judge’s role during a jury trial.

• A judge's role in a jury trial is to determine if someone is guilty or innocent.

• In cases with a jury, the judge is responsible for insuring that the law is followed, and the jury determines the facts.

• A judge's role in a jury trial is to appoint an attorney for the plaintiff if he cannot afford one.

• In cases with a jury, the judge is responsible for listening to the jury's recommendation for sentencing.

Multiple Choice

Why do lawyers say “objection” during a trial?

• They are telling the judge that they thinks the opponent violated a rule of procedure

• The lawyer is requesting a break for his client.

• The lawyer thinks his clients 5th amendment right has been violated.

• The lawyer believes his client was never read his Miranda rights when arrested.

​At the end of a trial, a decision has to be made.

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Click Here Video​

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After The Trial

Open Ended

How does the judge help the jury not make a mistake?

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of a verdict?

• In a court of law, the verdict is the sentence that is given by the jury or judge at the end of a trial.

• In a court of law, the verdict is the decision that is given by the jury or judge at the end of a trial.

• A verdict is the length of a trial in civil case.

• A verdict is the name of the individual that reads the outcome of trial to media.

The trial court isn’t the last stop for the judicial branch train.

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Click Here for Video

Appealing a Trial Court Decision

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Multiple Choice

What are you doing when you make an appeal?

• Asking a higher court to review the decision made by the lower court to insure no errors were made.

• Asking a judge to be lenient on the sentencing guidelines.

• Remaining silent so to not self-incriminate.

• Asking for a new attorney.

Open Ended

How is a Court of Appeals judge’s job different from a trial court judge’s job?

Open Ended

What two kinds of decisions might a Court of Appeals judge make?

One court in the United States has the final say. Do you know which court it is? (Hint: It’s the Supreme Court.)

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Click Here for video

Appealing to the Supreme Court

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Multiple Choice

What are judges on the Supreme Court called?

• justices

• magistrates

• legislators

• judges

Open Ended

How many are there?

Open Ended

Who is affected by Supreme Court decisions?