SOC205 - WEEK 6 - DISCUSSION 2

SOCIETY, LAW AND GOVERNMENT

"Personal Values"

John, a married, law-abiding, father of two children is serving as a juror in a trial where a child had been murdered. Determine the significant impact that a juror from the described demographic could potentially have in the outcome of this particular criminal trial. Provide rationale in your response.

The significant impact from a juror in a described demographic that had a child murder in its locality includes a preconceived thought or judgment, emotional status, lack of objectivity and a close-end narrow perception. As such if one or more has the thought or make-up received as everyday acceptance the act of facilitating good fair analysis, critiquing, judgment would be biased due to outlook and perceived thought and could sway the count whether defendant is indeed the guilty party or not. Overt exposure to conditional stimuli causes a prevalency to make a judgment against the defendant if the case has not been presented favorably to ensure a fair trial.

Analyze at least three (3) overall differences between criminal and civil court proceedings. Discuss the fundamental reasons why you believe that these differences are the most notable. Justify your response.

Three overall differences between criminal and civil court proceedings are:

1. Conduction of courts as relates to prior decisions of cases in common law system prevailed upon to render judgment vs those in the civil law system that is dependent upon written code to facilitate judgment.

2. Presentation of cases and applicable use of laws in the criminal court and statutes or coding in the civil court.

3. Designation of judgments in the civil court vs the rendering of sentencing in criminal court. Civil court either renders a judgment based on various applicable matter (property settlement, outstanding debts, child custody, divorce, etc.) whereas criminal court renders a judgment based on a criminal act that allows the sentencing of time in prison.

The fundamental reasons why these differences are most notable is because they allow a more specialized approach in each case and as with all specialties the knowledge to process is easier to separate and judge instead of one court processing all. A thorough process and procedure is established to control and maintain fairness in both courts and retain the standard and procedures in both cases.

Thank you.

Felicia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Civil+proceeding

http://criminal-law.freeadvice.com/criminal-law/criminal-law/criminal_proceeding.htm

SOCIETY, LAW AND GOVERNMENT
WEEK 6 - DISCUSSION 2
RESPONSE TO CO-STUDENT

I agree that John being a father can cause him to be empathetic and resentful of the child’s murder and it can cause a sociological effect of fear in the populace, intimidation, inner grieving and disgust at the magnitude of the crime. Further his psychological view could possibly be affected and cause him to view the person as a monster that should be locked up.

I agree with your post on the differences between civil and criminal court proceedings. Civil court is indeed a changeable scene because each case is different and each has a different face, end and judgment. But the criminal court is indeed an intricate matter of asserting the law with the rod.

Thank you.

Felicia