SCCJA SPECIAL BASIC STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2024 - 2025
Historical,Events,occurring,between,1776,and,1791,that,lead,to,decisions,that,lead,to,the,ratification,of,th
e,Constitution,and,the,Bill,of,Rights,,ANS,-
,,Colonists,declared,independence,from,England,,in,order,to,create,a,central,government,without,the,abili
ty,to,become,a,tyranny.,Strong,versus,Decentralized,form,of,government,battle,where,the,Bill,of,Rights,ca
me,in.
First,Amendment,,ANS,-
,,Congress,shall,make,no,law,respecting,an,establishment,of,religion,,or,prohibiting,the,free,exercise,there
of;,or,abridging,the,freedom,of,speech,,or,of,the,press;,or,the,right,of,the,people,peaceably,to,assemble,,a
nd,to,petition,the,government,for,a,redress,of,grievances.
4th,Amendment,,ANS,-
,,The,right,of,people,to,be,secure,in,their,persons,,houses,,papers,,and,effects,,against,unreasonable,searc
hes,and,seizures,,shall,not,be,violated,,and,no,warrants,shall,issue,,but,upon,probable,cause,,supported,b
y,oath,or,affirmation,,and,particularly,describing,the,place,to,be,searched,,and,the,persons,or,things,to,be,
searched.
6th,Amendment,,ANS,-
,,In,all,criminal,prosecutions,,the,accused,shall,enjoy,the,right,to,a,speedy,and,public,trial,,by,an,impartial,j
ury,of,the,state,and,district,wherein,the,crime,shall,have,been,committed,,which,district,shall,have,been,p
reviously,ascertained,by,law,,and,to,be,informed,of,the,nature,and,cause,of,the,accusation;,to,be,confront
ed,with,the,witnesses,against,him;,to,have,compulsory,process,for,obtaining,witnesses,in,his,favor,,and,to,
have,the,assistance,of,counsel,for,his,defense.
14th,Amendment,,ANS,-
,,All,persons,born,or,naturalized,in,the,United,States,and,subject,to,the,jurisdiction,thereof,,are,citizens,of,
the,United,States,and,of,the,State,wherein,they,reside.,No,State,shall,make,or,enforce,any,law,which,shall,
abridge,the,privileges,or,immunities,of,citizens,of,the,United,States;,nor,shall,any,State,deprive,any,perso
n,of,life,,liberty,,or,property,,without,due,process,of,law;,nor,deny,to,any,person,within,its,jurisdiction,the,
equal,protection,of,the,laws.,This,is,the,Due,Process,amendment
What,is,the,separation,of,powers,concept,,ANS,-
,,concept,that,the,division,of,government,responsibilities,among,the,various,branches-,Legislative,(writes-
makes,the,laws),,Executive,(Enforces,the,law),,Judicial,(Interprets,the,law)
,What,branch,of,government,does,law,enforcement,belong,to,,ANS,-,,Executive,Branch,(Enforce,the,law)
What,are,Peels,Principles,of,Modern,Law,Enforcement,,ANS,-
,,Principles,that,are,relevant,for,law,enforcement,to,follow,today.,The,big,one-
,The,ability,of,the,police,to,perform,their,duties,is,dependent,on,public,approval.,Otherwise,some,others,i
nclude,remaining,impartial,,only,use,physical,force,to,the,extent,necessary,,prevent,crime,is,the,basic,mis
sion
Recognize,the,importance,of,the,South,Carolina,State,constitution,,ANS,-
,,Identical,concepts,to,the,US,Constitution,however,two,differences:,In,addition,to,the,protections,in,the,4
th,amendment,,and,individual,is,also,protected,against,unreasonable,invasions,of,privacy,and,in,regards,t
o,the,particularity,requirement,,the,information,sought,pursuant,to,a,warrant,be,stated,significantly
Function,and,organization,of,the,US,Supreme,Court,,ANS,-
,,The,SCOTUS,is,the,court,of,last,resort.,There,are,9,members,of,the,court,with,a,Chief,Justice.
What,is,"case,law",,ANS,-,,Written,decision,of,appellate,courts,deciding,actual,cases--
,also,known,as,precedent,or,common,law
What,are,elements,of,an,offense,,ANS,-
,,elements,,or,key,points,that,the,state,must,prove,for,every,offense,in,order,to,obtain,a,conviction.
Structure,of,the,US,Court,System,,ANS,-
,,From,Bottom,to,Top:,U.S.,District,Courts,,US,Court,of,Appeals,,SCOTUS
Structure,of,the,South,Carolina,Court,system,,ANS,-
,,Bottom,to,Top:,Summary,Courts,(Magistrate,,Municipal,,Probate,Courts),,Circuit,Court,(Common,pleas-
,CIVIL,and,General,Sessions-,CRIMINAL),,Court,of,Appeals.,
Also,within,are,Family,Court,and,Master-in-Equity,court
, How,can,a,state,case,be,reviewed,in,Federal,Court,,ANS,-
,,Cases,may,be,appealed,to,the,US,Supreme,Court,by,petitioning,for,a,Writ,of,Certiorari.,This,is,the,ONLY,w
ay.,Has,to,deal,with,a,US,constitution,issue.
What,are,the,origins,of,criminal,law,,ANS,-,,Comes,from,Sumeria,in,modern,day,Iraq
Where,does,common,law,come,from,,ANS,-,,Court,Decisions
Where,does,statutory,law,come,from?,,ANS,-,,Legislatively,created,laws
What,are,the,accused,rights,in,the,criminal,trial,,ANS,-
,,Right,to,a,speedy,trial,,a,jury,trial,,in,the,county,where,the,crime,was,committed,,and,to,be,confronted,by
,witnesses,against,him.,Also,entitled,to,counsel,for,the,defense,,privilege,against,self,incrimination,,and,a,
compulsory,process,for,obtaining,witnesses,in,his,behalf
What,is,the,burden,of,proof?,,ANS,-
,,A,party's,duty,to,prove,a,disputed,assertion,or,charge.,Burden,of,proving,is,solely,on,the,state.,When,tryi
ng,someone,for,a,crime,to,convict,them,we,need,"beyond,a,reasonable,doubt"
What,is,reasonable,doubt,,ANS,-,,Doubt,that,prevents,one,from,being,convinced,of,defendants,guilt--
,belief,there,is,a,real,possibility,that,a,defendant,is,not,guilty
What,is,double,jeopardy?,,ANS,-,,The,prosecution,of,a,person,twice,for,the,same,offense.
What,critical,elements,of,proof,are,needed,to,be,able,to,prove,beyond,a,reasonable,doubt,to,convict,som
eone,of,a,crime,,ANS,-,,1.,Jurisdiction-,crime,happened,in,court,area
2.,Identify,the,Defendant-,prove,Def.,is,actually,the,person,who,committed,the,crime
3.,Physical,action,(Actus,Reus)-,Defendant,committed,the,necessary,actions,that,make,up,the,crime
4.,Mental,intent-
,Def.,had,right,mindset,(intentionally,,knowingly,,recklessly,,negligently,,and,strict,liability