Criminal Citations and the Court Process

Instructor: Gary McCarthy

Prosecuting criminal offenses begins with documenting the crime and gathering evidence. At the end of a successful criminal process a jury must have enough courtroom testimony and admitted evidence to find a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This course provides code enforcement officers an introduction to misdemeanor criminal procedure in California and will focus on their critical role and responsibilities. Classes taught will include powers of arrest, criminal complaints, trial preparation, discovery, admitting evidence, constitutional protections, court testimony and post conviction applications. During the course, students will be given a hypothetical case to evaluate for trial worthiness and will have the opportunity to participate in simulated courtroom testimony including cross examination. Students will receive handouts of all Power Point presentations.