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Courtroom Participation
Lumengo McGhee -Houston
CJA/224
November 24, 2010
Bruce Cartwright Sr.

Courtroom Participation

The defense attorney represents the defendant, the person accused of committing a crime or a wrongful act. Criminal defendants who are unable to come up with the money for to hire a lawyer are allowed to have the judge appoint them a lawyer who is then paid with public funds. The courtroom deputy or courtroom clerk administers the oaths to the witnesses, marks the exhibits, and generally helps keep the trial running efficiently. The courtroom deputy is employed by the clerk of the court. The clerk of the court is selected by all of the active judges on the court and works closely with the chief …show more content…

When the grievance is filed, the clerk of court assigns it, generally by random rotation, to the judge who will hold all matters related to that case until it is determined or closed.
A criminal case may begins when a legal representative for the federal government, the U.S. attorney or an assistant U.S. attorney, convenes a federal grand jury and presents it with evidence or information that indicates that a specific person committed a crime. Only crimes that engage federal laws are tried in federal court, such as bank robberies, serious drug law violations, securities law cases, or damage to federal property. If the grand jury believes there is enough evidence to show that the person in all probability committed the crime, it issues an indictment. Following the indictment, the court may summon the accused to appear in court, or it may authorize a U.S. marshal or federal peace officer to arrest the defendant. The defendant is brought before either a judge or a magistrate judge, at an indictment and is asked to plead "guilty" or "not guilty." If the defendant pleads "guilty," the judicial police officer will set a time for sentencing. If the defendant pleads "not guilty," the judicial officer will set a date for trial. Most of the time lawyers may ask the court to rule on the admissibility of substantiation or to make a conclusion on other case-related issues before the case can proceed to

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