CRL - Resolving Legal Disputes: Criminal Law (Module Overview)

Introduction

If you like to watch TV at all, you will be able to see that many people have an infatuation with crime and criminal law. Numerous factual and non-factual TV shows are based on crime, forensics, or some other element of crime as it relates to law and legal cases. You will witness criminal law in action as it plays out through the legal process and gain insight into the body of criminal law.

Criminal law isn’t just an interesting topic for a TV show, however; it is a significant component of our legal system. Our focus up to this point has been on the establishment of our laws, case law, and civil law. In this module, our focus will be on criminal law. We will look at the definition of a crime, the elements of a crime, the process of a criminal prosecution, how crime and criminal law impacts business, and analyze some cases pertaining to criminal disputes that impact society and specifically the business environment.
Review some important key terms below.

Key Terms

Crime – any act or omission that violates a law; an act against the public good

Charge – a formal allegation of criminal wrongdoing

Indictment – a formal charge authorized by a grand jury

Information – a set of formal charges

Arraignment – a pretrial proceeding in which a person accused of committing a crime is brought into court, informed of charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty

Plaintiff – the party that accuses a person of a crime; representing the government side of the case bringing charges

Prosecutor – the government attorney who presents the case in court against the accused

Defendant – the party accused of a crime in a criminal case

Felony – a serious crime punishable by more than a year in prison, or by death

Misdemeanor – a crime with a punishment less severe than a felony; usually punishable by less than a year in jail

Infraction – a minor offense or administrative violation usually punishable only by a fine

Reasonable doubt – a defendant in a criminal case can only be convicted if the jury believes the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the highest burden of proof in our legal system

Plea bargain – the process by which a defendant and prosecutor negotiate a compromise; the defendant typically pleads guilty to one or more offenses in exchange for a lighter sentence or dismissal of other pending charges

Miranda Rights – the rights that an arresting officer must advise a suspect of before the suspect is questioned by police; Miranda rights consist of the right to remain silent, to have an attorney present during any police questioning, and to have an attorney provided by the state at no expense if the suspect cannot afford one

Module Lessons Preview

In this module, we will study the following topics:

Criminal Law
In this lesson, we will take a look at defining a crime, the elements of a crime, and different types of crimes against people and property.

The Process of Criminal Prosecution
In this lesson, we will take a look at the process of a criminal prosecution.

How Crime Impacts Business
In this lesson, we will focus on types of business-related crimes and on how businesses and individuals are impacted by these crimes.

Notable Criminal Law Cases
In this lesson we will review white-collar crime and take a look at some of the nation’s most notable white-collar criminal cases.

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