BLEA UPDATED FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
✔✔Jury Trial: (Court Definition) - ✔✔Trial by your peers
✔✔Bench Trial: (Court Definition) - ✔✔The judge is the trier of the law and the fact.
✔✔Appeal of the facts: (Court Definition) - ✔✔The jury made the wrong decision. Not
permissible in our system.
✔✔Appeal of the law: (Court definition) - ✔✔The only valid grounds for appeal.
✔✔Make up of Federal Courts: - ✔✔U.S. District Court
U.S. Court of Appeals
U.S. Supreme Court
✔✔U.S. District Court - ✔✔1 Judge per cause
Has jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases
✔✔U.S Court of Appeals - ✔✔3 justices per cause
Hears appeals cases exclusively
✔✔U.S. Supreme Court - ✔✔9 justices per cause
The final avenue of appeals
✔✔State Courts: - ✔✔Municipal Courts
District Courts
Superior Court
State Court of Appeals
State Supreme Court
All State judges are elected officials
An adversarial court process is used in the U.S.
✔✔Municipal Courts: - ✔✔One judge oversees criminal and civil cases originating within
municipal boundaries.
✔✔District Courts - ✔✔One judge oversees criminal and civil cases originating within
the county boundaries.
✔✔Superior Court - ✔✔1. State-wide jurisdiction
2. One judge oversees felony and civil cases
3. Hears Juvenile Cases
4. One judge oversees appeals of lower court decisions and administrative hearings.
5. The court may issue search warrants valid anywhere within the state.
, ✔✔State Court of Appeals - ✔✔1. A court for appeals of law
2. Three justices assigned per cause
3. WA. St. divided into 3 divisions:
- Western WA from King county north
- Western WA from Pierce to Oregon
- Easter WA
4. Each division may reach their independent conclusions on a cause.
✔✔Washington State Supreme Court - ✔✔Final avenue of appeal for WA. St.
Constitutional issues
Has traditionally utilized an "independent grounds" approach to their decisions
Nine justices sit in consideration of appeals generated to the court.
✔✔Steps from arrest to trial: - ✔✔1. Arrest for Probable Cause or Warrant
2. Arraignment
3. Pre-trial suppression hearings
4. Commencement of Trial
✔✔Probable Cause Arrest: - ✔✔1. appearance no later than the end of the next judicial
day.
2. Hearing within 48 hrs of custody
3. filing of charges within 72 hrs. of custody
✔✔Warrant arrest - ✔✔1. Appearance no later than the end of the next judicial day.
2. Probable Cause determination occurs at time of warrant issue
3. Filing of charges occurred prior to the issuance of the warrant.
✔✔Arraignment - ✔✔1. Formal reading of a criminal complaint.
2. Accused is expected to enter a plea
3. must occur within 14 days of filing charges.
✔✔Three types of Pre-Trial Suppression Hearings - ✔✔3.1 Hearing: for deprivation of
counsel
3.5 Hearing: deals with confessions and defendant statements
3.6 Hearing: deals with oral, physical, and i.d evidence issues
✔✔Commencement of Trial - ✔✔Happens within:
60 days of arrest if the defendant is in custody
90 days in the defendant is at large/ on release
✔✔Once Trial begins the following takes place: - ✔✔Jury Selection
Opening Statements
State's Case (direct and cross examination)
Defense Case (direct and cross examination)
GRADED A+
✔✔Jury Trial: (Court Definition) - ✔✔Trial by your peers
✔✔Bench Trial: (Court Definition) - ✔✔The judge is the trier of the law and the fact.
✔✔Appeal of the facts: (Court Definition) - ✔✔The jury made the wrong decision. Not
permissible in our system.
✔✔Appeal of the law: (Court definition) - ✔✔The only valid grounds for appeal.
✔✔Make up of Federal Courts: - ✔✔U.S. District Court
U.S. Court of Appeals
U.S. Supreme Court
✔✔U.S. District Court - ✔✔1 Judge per cause
Has jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases
✔✔U.S Court of Appeals - ✔✔3 justices per cause
Hears appeals cases exclusively
✔✔U.S. Supreme Court - ✔✔9 justices per cause
The final avenue of appeals
✔✔State Courts: - ✔✔Municipal Courts
District Courts
Superior Court
State Court of Appeals
State Supreme Court
All State judges are elected officials
An adversarial court process is used in the U.S.
✔✔Municipal Courts: - ✔✔One judge oversees criminal and civil cases originating within
municipal boundaries.
✔✔District Courts - ✔✔One judge oversees criminal and civil cases originating within
the county boundaries.
✔✔Superior Court - ✔✔1. State-wide jurisdiction
2. One judge oversees felony and civil cases
3. Hears Juvenile Cases
4. One judge oversees appeals of lower court decisions and administrative hearings.
5. The court may issue search warrants valid anywhere within the state.
, ✔✔State Court of Appeals - ✔✔1. A court for appeals of law
2. Three justices assigned per cause
3. WA. St. divided into 3 divisions:
- Western WA from King county north
- Western WA from Pierce to Oregon
- Easter WA
4. Each division may reach their independent conclusions on a cause.
✔✔Washington State Supreme Court - ✔✔Final avenue of appeal for WA. St.
Constitutional issues
Has traditionally utilized an "independent grounds" approach to their decisions
Nine justices sit in consideration of appeals generated to the court.
✔✔Steps from arrest to trial: - ✔✔1. Arrest for Probable Cause or Warrant
2. Arraignment
3. Pre-trial suppression hearings
4. Commencement of Trial
✔✔Probable Cause Arrest: - ✔✔1. appearance no later than the end of the next judicial
day.
2. Hearing within 48 hrs of custody
3. filing of charges within 72 hrs. of custody
✔✔Warrant arrest - ✔✔1. Appearance no later than the end of the next judicial day.
2. Probable Cause determination occurs at time of warrant issue
3. Filing of charges occurred prior to the issuance of the warrant.
✔✔Arraignment - ✔✔1. Formal reading of a criminal complaint.
2. Accused is expected to enter a plea
3. must occur within 14 days of filing charges.
✔✔Three types of Pre-Trial Suppression Hearings - ✔✔3.1 Hearing: for deprivation of
counsel
3.5 Hearing: deals with confessions and defendant statements
3.6 Hearing: deals with oral, physical, and i.d evidence issues
✔✔Commencement of Trial - ✔✔Happens within:
60 days of arrest if the defendant is in custody
90 days in the defendant is at large/ on release
✔✔Once Trial begins the following takes place: - ✔✔Jury Selection
Opening Statements
State's Case (direct and cross examination)
Defense Case (direct and cross examination)
