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Product Description Written by three nationally recognized experts in the field, Criminal Courts: A Contemporary Perspective explores all the fundamental topics (court structure, courtroom actors, and the trial and appeals process) as well as other ground-breaking topics, such as specialty courts and comparative court systems. This bestseller provides you with a foundation for understanding key concepts by reviewing the judicial function, the role and purpose of law, sources of law, the various types of law, and the American court system’s structure and operations. You will build on this foundation by learning about participants in the system and the pretrial, trial, and post-trial processes. Packed with contemporary examples and new pedagogical tools, the Fourth Edition has been thoroughly revised with the most up-to-date content and resources to give you a more comprehensive understanding of the criminal courts system. Review "Straightforward, easy for students to understand, and spotlights all the critical stages in the criminal justice process timeline." -- Barbara B. Koehler "This is a great lower-level text for a court process class that offers a well-rounded introduction to the court process, structure, and relevant issues today. It is also priced well compared to other notable texts in the market." -- Danielle M. Romain "Very informative text written by well-respected names. Covers all of the expected content in a criminal courts text in a way that engages students." -- Elizabeth B. Perkins "A very well done book on criminal courts―one that rivals the other texts that may be commonly used. I like many of the features: it is easy to follow, has great interface, and is up-to-date, including a lot of newer information." -- Ross Allen "[Criminal Courts] does a better job of covering the subject matter of an introductory course on law and torts. It does not overwhelm students with lists of cases. It provides specific information in each chapter in the form of boxes that present additional information in a concise and direct manner. Topics include comparative courts, examination of current controversies, movies and courts, and a view of the court system from participants." -- Raymond L. Hasselman About the Author Craig Hemmens is a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University. He holds a JD from North Carolina Central University School of Law and a PhD in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University. Professor Hemmens has published 20 books and more than 200 articles, many dealing with legal issues in criminal justice. He currently serves as editor of the Criminal Law Bulletin and previously served as the editor of the Journal of Criminal Justice Education and as president of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. His current research interests include criminal law and procedure. David C. Brody is a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University. He received a JD from the University of Arizona College of Law and a PhD in criminal justice from the State University of New York at Albany. He is the author of casebooks on criminal law and criminal procedure, as well as scholarly articles that have been published in such journals as the American Criminal Law Review, Crime and Delinquency, Justice System Journal, and Judicature. His current research focuses on the selection and evaluation of judges, jury reform, and the interaction between law, politics, and criminal justice policy. Cassia Spohn is School Director and Foundation Professor of Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. She is the author of several books, including The Color of Justice: Race, Ethnicity, and Crime in America (with Sam Walker and Miriam DeLone) and How Do Judges Decide? The Search for Fairness and Equity in Sentencing. She has published a number of articles examining prosecutors’ charging decisions in sexual assault c