Criminal Courts: A Contemporary Perspective - Softcover

Written by three leaders in the field, this text explores all conventional topics (court structure, courtroom actors, and the trial and appeal process) as well as others seldom covered. The text first reviews the judicial function, the role and purpose of law, sources of law, the various types of law, and the American court system structure and operations, both state and federal. The participants in the system are discussed next, followed by the pre-trial, trial, and post-trial processes. A wealth of pedagogical tools adds valuable related content, ranging from the points of view of court process participants to comparative information to hotly debated topics.

Craig Hemmens is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology and Criminal Justice at Washington State University. He holds a JD from North Carolina Central University School of Law and a PhD in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. Professor Hemmens has published 20 books and more than 200 articles, many dealing with legal issues in criminal justice. He currently serves as Editor of the Criminal Law Bulletin, and previously served as the editor of the Journal of Criminal Justice Education and as President of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. His current research interests include criminal law and procedure.