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Reno/Lake Tahoe

Handling Capital Cases (JS 623)

July 12-15, 2010 | Reno, NV
Tuition: $985 | Conference Fee: $245

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Death is different. You feel it the moment you enter a courtroom when a capital case is beginning. Even if you have experience handling major criminal cases, if you are not experienced in hearing capital cases, you may find yourself lost in the seemingly endless array of motions, hearings, and appeals that are unique to capital cases. The burden on the criminal process is heavy and the usual rules often have limited use in capital cases. As the guardian of both the defendant’s rights and the community’s resources, judges will be better able to accomplish these goals after attending this course. After this course, participants will be able to summarize the trends in recent U.S. Supreme Court capital cases; ensure that a jury has been properly “death qualified” through voir dire, handle the penalty phase and sentencing efficiently after analyzing what constitutes aggravating and mitigating circumstances; ensure that responses to the media are appropriate and well conceived; and rule effectively on post-trial motions.

Qualifies for 2 credits toward the Judicial Studies degree and as an elective for the Certificate in Judicial Development, General Jurisdiction Trial Skills program.

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Criminal Courses

The NJC offers additional courses for the criminal court. See the 2010 Course Planner for other courses.