Introduction and Alignment

In this case study assignment, you will explore the similarities between a modern federal court case of your choosing and cases tried in earlier federal courts. You will also consider why a case would be tried at the federal instead of state level.

Upon completion of this assignment, you should be able to:

* Outline the history of courts from Anglo-Saxon courts to modern-day courts.

* Define terms related to modern courts.

* Describe the difference between federal and state courts.

Criminal Courts: Then and Now

Instructions

1. Review Chapter 1 in the textbook, Procedures in the Justice System. 2. Review the media 1.2 Resource: History of Courts.

3. Using your course materials and the Internet, research a recent news article that highlights the details of a criminal case brought to trial in federal court. For some additional background on the federal court system, here is a booklet published by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts that introduces the federal court system: http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/FederalCourts/Publications/English.pdf

4. In a two-page (500-word) article review, address the following questions related to your case:

a. What similarities and differences do you see between this case and the cases tried in the early courts?

b. How could modern due process rights help the defense if they were charged in adult criminal court?

c. Why was this case filed at the federal court level?

5. Use APA formatting and cite at least two sources. (Note: Examples of acceptable sources include peer-reviewed books and journals, and government reports. The course textbook does not count as an additional resource.)

6. When you've completed your assignment, save a copy for yourself and submit a copy to your instructor using the Dropbox by the end of the workshop.