Agenda Mon 10/24 & Tues 10/25

Agenda Mon 10/24 & Tues 10/25 • RAP #19: Grow your blog • Review System Diagrams • Race to the bench! • Landmark Cases • HW: Study landmark cases worksheet • EC #2 DUE: Thurs 11/3 & Fri 11/4

RAP #19: Grow your blog • Take your blog comments completed for homework and pass to a neighbor. • Read the neighbor’s blog and add your own comment. • When your blog is returned to you, respond to their comments. Then pass to a 2nd person. • Repeat process for 4 neighbors. • Conclude your blog w/ your “final thoughts.”

Race to the bench • Analyze the court materials and determine which court the documents represent. • Include evidence • For each document (round) your team can earn bonus points based on the instructions on the worksheet • Get into teams of 3…choose wisely!

Before you begin examining information about the courts, note these steps on Student Handout 15B: Step 1 Carefully examine the information for each court. Identify as many clues as you can that might tell you which court in the judicial system is represented. Look for clues like these: • the number of judges or justices • the topic of the case or cases • the plaintiff and the defendant in the case • the specific manner in which the case is argued • unique features of the court • references to geographic or other jurisdiction 4

Step 2 Use your Reading Packet and your book to determine which court is represented by the information shown. Use the matrix on your handout. You may need to use the back for additional evidence you find. 5

Response Group Scoring: For each court you identify correctly, your group will receive 2 points. For each piece of correct evidence you list, you will receive 1 point. If you list a correct piece of evidence that no other team has found, you will receive 2 points. 6

Begin by examining the information for Court 1 on Student Handout 15C. What clues might help you determine which court is represented? Look for clues like these: • the number of judges or justices • the topic of the case or cases • the plaintiff and the defendant in the case • the specific manner in which the case is argued • unique features of the court • references to geographic or other jurisdiction 7

Now, using the Reading Packet & your handouts of the court systems from last class to determine which court is represented by this set of materials. With your group, record your answers, by completing the row for Court 1. 8

Response Group • Compute your group score for this round by assigning: • 2 points for a correctly identified court. • 1 point for each piece of correct evidence you found that other groups also identified. • 2 points for any correct evidence you found that no other groups identified. 9

Examine the information for Court 2 on Student Handout 15D. What clues might help you determine which court is represented? Look for clues like these: • the number of judges or justices • the topic of the case or cases • the plaintiff and the defendant in the case • the specific manner in which the case is argued • unique features of the court • references to geographic or other jurisdiction 10

Examine the information for Court 3 on Student Handout 15E. What clues might help you determine which court is represented? Look for clues like these: • the number of judges or justices • the topic of the case or cases • the plaintiff and the defendant in the case • the specific manner in which the case is argued • unique features of the court • references to geographic or other jurisdiction 13

Examine the information for Court 4 on Student Handout 15F. What clues might help you determine which court is represented? Look for clues like these: • the number of judges or justices • the topic of the case or cases • the plaintiff and the defendant in the case • the specific manner in which the case is argued • unique features of the court • references to geographic or other jurisdiction 16

Examine the information for Court 5 on Student Handout 15G. What clues might help you determine which court is represented? Look for clues like these: • the number of judges or justices • the topic of the case or cases • the plaintiff and the defendant in the case • the specific manner in which the case is argued • unique features of the court • references to geographic or other jurisdiction 19

Examine the information for Court 6 on Student Handout 15H. What clues might help you determine which court is represented? Look for clues like these: • the number of judges or justices • the topic of the case or cases • the plaintiff and the defendant in the case • the specific manner in which the case is argued • unique features of the court • references to geographic or other jurisdiction 22

Response Group With your group, compute your overall scores for the activity. As a class, discuss the following questions: • Why do different courts play different roles in the judicial branch? • What safeguards are built into the organization of the U.S. court system to ensure justice? • Are those safeguards working to ensure justice? How do you know? • How effective do you think the U.S. court system is in ensuring justice? 25

Power, Politics, and You Read the “Power, Politics, and You” section of the chapter. Then, be prepared to respond to the following questions: • What problem is being discussed in this article? What are some efforts being made to address that problem? • How could the high percentage of jury duty no-shows affect the judicial system’s attempts to ensure justice? • What might be a solution to this problem? 26

Agenda Mon 10/24 & Tues 10/25