Course Syllabus

Summer 2026 | CRJ-2020-VO01 - American Judicial Process

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Anne Buttimer
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Philip Crossman

General Education Requirements

Social Science

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course provides students with an overview of the American judicial process, examining its history, structure, and operation. Topics considered include court organization and administration, the courtroom work group, the trial and appellate processes, problems that plague the courts, and alternatives to courts for conflict resolution. Prerequisite: Introduction to Criminal Justice.

Essential Objectives

1. Describe the history and structure of the federal and state courts.
2. Discuss the role and functions of special courts and appellate courts.
3. Evaluate the constitutional protections in criminal law and their effects on criminal courts.
4. Contrast the adversary law system with civil law systems.
5. Assess the professional and ethical obligations of prosecutors and judges, the role of defense attorneys, and the functions of other court personnel.
6. Discuss the role of judges in the courtroom and beyond and their role in balancing the rights of victims and defendants.
7. Evaluate current trends in sentencing and their impact on incarceration disparities, including mandatory minimums and three-strikes legislation at federal and state levels.
8. Analyze the use of bail and plea-bargaining in the criminal justice system.
9. Outline the evolution of the juvenile justice system.
10. Explore how inequities within the American judicial system both reflect and impact societal disparities of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

Learning Methods

This is a discussion focused course where students and faculty interact via written postings in Canvas several times during the week. This is essential on your part for your learning.

Evaluation Criteria

College level writings skills, correct use of APA in-text citations and a References section, and solid time management are skills we use weekly to develop professional workplace skills to strengthen your content knowledge of our course.

We use a content and writing rubric every week for assessing work, it's posted in week 1 of class.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Learning Methods

This is a discussion focused course where students and faculty interact via written postings in Canvas several times during the week. This is essential on your part for your learning.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.