| Racial Profiling and the Criminal Justice System |
| Racial profiling refers to the law enforcement practice of using race as a factor in deciding who is a suspicious person that should be investigated. Racial profiling is illegal. More... |
| Professional Responsibility |
| After passing the bar examination, an attorney is admitted to the state bar and allowed to practice law in that state. An attorney takes an oath of office. After being admitted to the bar, an attorney's conduct is regulated by the Lawyer's Code of Professional Responsibility. Every state has adopted some form of the Code, which sets minimum standards for an attorney's actions. The Code consists of three parts: Canons, Ethical Considerations, and Disciplinary Rules. More... |
| Judicial Immunity |
| As a general rule, judges are immune or protected from lawsuits seeking money damages for any actions performed by the judge as part of his or her official duties. Judicial immunity shields a judge from liability for unpopular or controversial judgments. A judge can be sued for money damages based on his or her nonjudicial actions (actions not made in a judge's official capacity). A judge is also liable for actions that are judicial in nature but are taken when the judge lacks jurisdiction or authority over the matter.More... |
| Juvenile Courts |
| A juvenile court is a specialized civil court dealing with children who are under the age of 18 who are abused, neglected, dependent, delinquent, and status offenders. Some juvenile courts also have the power to require treatment for mentally ill or developmentally disabled children. The goal of the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate the juvenile. The juvenile court makes use of social service programs. There are important differences between juvenile courts and other civil courts. Juvenile hearings are usually closed to the public so that the juvenile's privacy is protected. A juvenile has no right to request a trial by jury. Juveniles cannot post bail in order to be released from detention. The probation officers involved in the juvenile justice system are court employees. They conduct evaluations and prepare reports to aid the juvenile judges in deciding a case. They also supervise juveniles who are placed on probation and report on the progress of juveniles on probation. More... |
| Drug Courts |
| Drug-related crimes are widespread, and specialized courts have been set up to deal with drug cases. Drugs courts recognize the connection between addiction and criminal behavior. Many addicts commit crimes to get money to support their drug habits. Drug courts use a therapeutic justice model, which includes treatment services to address defendants' substance abuse problems. Almost all states currently have drug courts, and some states have set up juvenile drug courts to handle delinquency cases involving juveniles with substance abuse issues.More... |
Magruder & Sumner
Experienced litigators practicing in state and federal courts in Northwest Georgia.
