Judge or Jury

1. In some states, a defendant may ask for only a judge to make the decision on a court case. In some states, one may request a jury trial. Do you think it is a good idea for only a judge to make the decision, or do you think that there should always be a jury trial? Why or why not? How would you defend your position? Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.

Length:  3-4 paragraphs...

2. The Federal Rules of Evidence give guidelines for when evidence about a person’s character may be considered admissible in court. Consider the following:

• What do you think the purpose for having guidelines about the admissibility of character evidence is? Give one example of a situation where character evidence was inadmissible in a criminal trial. 
• The admissibility of character evidence for the victim of rape at the trial of the alleged rapist is a controversial topic. Explain reasons why a judge may or may not admit character evidence about a rape victim at trial. 
•  Length:  3 paragraphs