Define and discuss the value of precedent.
What will be an ideal response?
Precedent is binding authority on courts within a given jurisdiction. The reliance on precedent upholds the doctrine of stare decisis, which means “to stand by precedent and to stand by settled points.” Reliance on precedent is valuable to courts and parties because it allows for consistency between cases. “[C]ourts do not have to reinvent the wheel.”
You might also like to view...
Although a “get tough” approach has not been shown to work with common criminals, it may have more of a deterrent effect on potential which of the following?
a. White-collar criminals b. Terrorists c. High level drug dealers d. Juvenile defenders
According to biopsychologist Adrian Raine
A) the majority of studies examining the relationship between antisocial behavior are fatally flawed. B) there is no evidence to suggest that genetics influence antisocial behavior. C) some children are born destined to become antisocial. D) there is clear evidence that genetics influence antisocial and aggressive behavior.
The right to counsel is governed by the Eighth Amendment
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
Gun-control advocates, including the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, have criticized the Stand Your Ground laws that have been passed in many states. These laws expanded the definition of justifiable self-defense and provide that anyone claiming to feel threatened no longer has an obligation to retreat or avoid use of deadly force. Assume you are defending a woman accused of shooting a
young girl who knocked on her front door late at night. Your client had heard about break-ins in the local area over the television news and thought she was about to be robbed. The girl at the door was actually looking for help because her car had become stuck in a snowbank at the foot of your client's driveway. Based on these facts and any reasonable fact you can add to the scenario, how would you convince a jury that your client should not be convicted of shooting the young girl? Assume you are successful in your argument and it appears that you have convinced a jury your client was in fear. If the fear needs to be a reasonable one, how would the prosecutor counter your argument most effectively?