LGS 216 - Criminal Evidence and Procedure

3 credit hours - Three hours weekly; one term.
Explore criminal due process through the lens of protections offered by the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. Study the purpose and elements of select rules of evidence applicable to criminal prosecution and defense. Hones critical and legal analytical skills. Learn practical and hands-on litigation skills for paralegals, including preparing an application for a search warrant.

Location(s) Typically Offered: Arnold Main Campus (MC) and Online (OL)

Term(s) Typically Offered: Fall, spring, and summer

Course Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. List and explain the fundamental elements of constitutional criminal due process through the lens of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eight and Fourteenth Amendments.
2. Describe the procedures and participants involved in criminal prosecution from the pretrial phase through habeus corpus relief.
3. Evaluate the institutional aspects of criminal due process as impacted by dynamics of power, social-economic status, race, gender, religion, privacy, and politics. 
4. Prepare and compose an application for a search warrant to search a location.
5. Explain how the rules of evidence define and regulate evidentiary relevancy, competency, materiality, and non-prejudicial effect in a  criminal prosecution.
6. Define evidence and explain how different types of evidence are used in criminal prosecution and defense.