Advanced Paralegal: Criminal Procedure

About this course

What you’ll learn

This intensive course explores the constitutional foundations of criminal law and procedure, including the rights of the accused and their influence on law enforcement. Topics include criminal procedure in the Constitution, the application of the Bill of Rights to states, and principles of constitutional interpretation. Key concepts cover arrest, search, and seizure—addressing Fourth Amendment issues, probable cause, search warrants, warrantless searches, consent searches, surveillance, wiretapping, and the use of secret agents. It also discusses entrapment, confessions, the right to counsel, self-incrimination, Miranda rights, lineups, due process, the exclusionary rule, plea bargaining, trial rights, double jeopardy, and presumption of innocence. Offered in partnership with CLS by BARBRI, this course provides a thorough understanding of essential constitutional principles in criminal justice.

Learning objectives

1. Analyze the constitutional principles governing criminal procedure, including the Bill of Rights and the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments, to assess the legality of arrests, searches, seizures, and interrogations.
2. Apply legal concepts such as probable cause, consent searches, and the Miranda Rule to diverse factual scenarios, determining appropriate law enforcement actions and identifying potential violations.
3. Evaluate the admissibility of evidence by scrutinizing the application of the Exclusionary Rules and their exceptions, including the Good Faith exception.
4. Critique the constitutionality of various identification procedures and surveillance techniques (e.g., lineups, wiretapping) in light of due process and relevant amendments.
5. Distinguish between legal and illegal conduct of law enforcement, including concepts like entrapment and the use of secret agents, and their impact on criminal cases.
6. Propose solutions or arguments for hypothetical cases, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of criminal procedure provisions and their practical implications.

Continuing Education Information

This is an accelerated course. Students will be expected to spend an average of about 8 hours per week reading and completing assignments. Please note that extensions will not be granted for this online course. This course is the equivalent of 45 clock hours of study. 70% is the minimum passing score on all tests and assignments for this course.