Readable and practical text for criminal justice courses on court procedure and judicial process, incorporating an overview of evidentiary issues. Features: This text explores the details of the judicial process, explaining the various phases of a criminal prosecution in a clear and often entertaining style. The book provides a balance between theoretical discussions and practical,down-to-earth examples of law in action at every phase of a criminal proceeding. Well-written text that is accessible to both students and professors. Thoughtful pedagogy includes the following: Learning objectives that are stated clearly and succinctly at the beginning of each chapter Terms and legal vocabulary set out in bold in the body of the text and defined immediately in the margin for the ease of student comprehension Figures and tables to illustrate crucial points, designed to capitalize on different learning styles among students Case scenarios to help students develop their understanding of the material Excerpts from seminal or otherwise noteworthy US Supreme Court cases End of chapter questions, activities and assignments to hone the students" understanding Reference to a sample criminal case to help develop specific points in each chapter Complete Mock Trial package that includes police, investigative reports, charging documents and other materials to assist student in actually presenting a criminal case "For the Prosecution/For the Defense," point/counter point feature in each chapter that discusses an issue from the prosecution and defense viewpoints Web sites for further research and/or discussion Profiling the Professional: an interview and profile of a legal professional, such as a judge, law enforcement officer, defense attorney, etc., that appears in each chapter. This feature explains the day-to-day world of a legal professional, helping the student/reader make an intellectual and emotional connection with the real-life professionals in the criminal justice system Logical and understandable organization. Author has a wealth of trial experience at every phase of criminal litigation, as well as extensive experience writing textbooks.