Law Commons^™

Cross-Examination Of Witnesses In Chinese Criminal Courts: Theoretical Debates, Practical Barriers, And Potential Solutions, Zhiyuan Guo

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Questioning witnesses is essential for both fact-finding and ensuring the defendant's right to confrontation in criminal trials. Part I introduces the recently released judicial interpretation on the Application of Criminal Procedure Law by China's Supreme Court as a background for discussion of this Article. In Part II, the author sets the stage by arguing that resolution of questions concerning examination and cross-examination of witnesses is essential to the effective achievement of China's trial-centered criminal procedure law reform. In Part III, a historical review is given of the academic debate on the questioning of witnesses in Chinese criminal courts. Part IV …

What Gideon Did, Sara Mayeux

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Many accounts of Gideon v Wainwright s legacy focus on what Gideon did not do--its doctrinal and practical limits. For constitutional theorists, Gideon imposed a preexisting national consensus upon a few "outlier" states, and therefore did not represent a dramatic doctrinal shift. For criminal procedure scholars, advocates, and journalists, Gideon has failed, in practice, to guarantee meaningful legal help for poor people charged with crimes. Drawing on original historical research, this Article instead chronicles what Gideon did-the doctrinal and institutional changes it inspired between 1963 and the early 1970s. Gideon shifted the legal profession's policy consensus on indigent defense away …

Glittery Promise Vs. Dismal Reality: The Role Of A Criminal Lawyer In The People's Republic Of China After The 1996 Revision Of The Criminal Procedure Law, Ping Yu

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

In this Article, the Author examines the recent revisions to the Chinese Criminal Procedure Law. The Author maintains that while the revisions were intended to promote a more equitable criminal justice system, the political climate in fact has rendered the revisions a step down for both defense attorneys and defendants. The Author analyzes different aspects of the revised law in order to support this point. In his conclusion, the Author suggests some changes to the criminal procedure law that may help to bring the Chinese defense system up to international standards.

"Apprendi" And Plea Bargaining, Nancy J. King, Susan Riva Klein

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Before "Apprendi", prosecutors using recidivism as a club could, and did, regularly insist that defendants admit aggravating facts as part of the plea or face additional time. When the prosecutor's threats of added time were not persuasive and the proof of aggravating facts weak, the defendant prior to "Apprendi" could refuse to admit to the aggravating fact, and plead guilty only to the offense without the aggravating fact. Nothing about "Apprendi" gives additional leverage to the prosecutor in this situation. A defendant who, prior to "Apprendi", decided to risk trial rather than face the aggravated sentence will make the same …

Recent Cases, Journal Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

Antitrust Law--Robinson-Patman Act--To Satisfy the "In Commerce" Requirement of Section 2(a) at Least One of the Allegedly Discriminatory Sales in a Secondary-Line Case Must Cross a State Line

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Constitutional Law--Equal Protection--Exclusion of Pregnancy-Related Disabilities from State Salary Compensation Insurance Program Denies Equal Protection to Pregnant Employees

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Criminal Procedure--Grand Juries--Exclusionary Rule in Search and Seizure Cases Does Not Apply to Grand Jury Proceedings

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Securities Regulation-Rule 10b-5--Plaintiffs Who Are Neither Purchasers nor Sellers of Securities May Recover Under Rule 10b-5 if Injured in Their Capacity as Investors as a Direct Consequence of Fraud in Connection with a Securities Transaction …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

Criminal Law-Confessions-- Government Can Satisfy Its Burden of Proving Waiver of Miranda Rights By Showing Warnings Given, Signed Waiver, and Proof of Defendant's Capacity to Understand the Warnings

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Criminal Procedure--Grand Jury-Attorney Work Product Consisting of Written Summaries and Personal Recollections of Interviews Is Privileged Against Disclosure at Federal Grand Jury Investigations

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Public Employees --Freedom of Association-Discharge of Non-policy-making Public Employees on Ground of Political Affiliation Infringes Employees' Freedom of Association

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Torts--Wrongful Death-Common--Law Cause of Action for Wrongful Death Exists Under Massachusetts Law

Criminal Law And Procedure -- 1964 Tennessee Survey, Graham Parker, Robert E. Kendrick

Vanderbilt Law Review

The substantive criminal law receives little attention from the Tennessee appellate courts. No doubt this observation would be equally true of most jurisdictions. To one who received his legal training in a common law system of criminal law and who yet has had some experience with Canada's federal code of criminal law, the emphasis on criminal procedure is surprising. Does this mean that the state codes of substantive law have reached such heights of perfection and expertise that the efforts of the Model Penal Code draftsmen are unnecessary or, at best, academic? It is unlikely. The position rather reflects a …

Criminal Law And Procedure -- 1963 Tennessee Survey, Robert E. Kendrick

Vanderbilt Law Review

1. Homicide. A number of years ago the Tennessee Supreme Court adopted the common law principle that one is justified in taking life in defense of his habitation when actually or apparently necessary to repel an attempt by another to enter forcibly or violently under circumstances creating a reasonable apprehension that the assailant's design is imminently to commit a felony therein or to assault or offer personal violence or inflict personal injury on an inmate so that there are reasonable grounds for concluding that life is endangered or great bodily harm is threatened thereby.'

Flippen v. State, a homicide case, …

Criminal Law And Procedure -- 1960 Tennessee Survey, Robert E. Kendrick

Vanderbilt Law Review

Offenses against the person-(a) Homicide: Parties.-Because of an asserted lack of intention to commit homicide, two persons asked the state supreme court in Eager v. State to reverse their convictions of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly, while intoxicated, killing a pedestrian with an automobile driven by one and directed and aided by the other. In affirming, it would have been enough to dispose of this contention to invoke the statutory provision that "manslaughter is the unlawful killing of another without malice, either express or implied, which may be... involuntary, but in the commission of some unlawful act,"' to call attention to …

Criminal Law And Procedure--1959 Tennessee Survey, Robert E. Kendrick

Vanderbilt Law Review

Conspiracy--Cline v. State was an appeal from a conviction of a conspiracy to dynamite and destroy a public school building in Clinton, Tennessee, in violation of a statute making it a felony for two or more persons to agree "to commit an illegal act capable of producing conditions destructive to life or property.. ." by possessing, transporting or using explosives. Three men, D1, D2 and D3, had been indicated; but, before defendants were put to trial, the state entered a "nolle prosequi" against D1, who became a state's witness. Afterwards, D2 was acquitted in the same trial in which D3, …

Criminal Law And Procedure -- 1957 Tennessee Survey, James B. Earle

Vanderbilt Law Review

Homicide: The statutory requirement that a killing be "willful; deliberate, malicious, and premeditated" for a finding of murder in the first degree is not applicable to a killing committed while in the perpetration of one of the felonies listed in the statute. This question arose in Farmer v. State, in which it appeared that the killing resulted from the setting on fire of a dwelling, i.e. arson, by the defendant. It was urged on appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court that there was no proof of felonious homicide because there was no showing of an intent to kill nor even …

Criminal Law And Procedure -- 1955 Tennessee Survey, Austin W. Scott Jr.

Vanderbilt Law Review

Homicide: In Ivy v. State' the defendant, in the course of a fight with A, stabbed B, a peacemaker, killing him. The defendant appealed his conviction of involuntary manslaughter on the theory that the evidence did not support the verdict, since it showed that the defendant was striking at A in self-defense when he unfortunately stabbed B. The court held that the jury could properly find on the evidence either that (1) the defendant, not A, was the aggressor, or (2) even if A were the aggressor, defendant was not in imminent danger or reasonably supposed danger of death or …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

Recent Cases

Bankruptcy--Acts of Bankruptcy--Petition for Dissolution under State Statute

Corporations--Stockholders' Derivative Suits--Equitable Stockholder's Rights under Security Statute

Criminal Law--Evidence--Immunity Statutes

Criminal Procedure--Grand Jury Indictments--Failure of Jurors to Hear All the Evidence as Grounds for Setting Aside Indictment

Domestic Relations--Torts--Action by Wife against Husband for Personal Injuries

Federal Jurisdiction--Scope of Federal Common Law--Characterization of Foreign Statute for Purpose of Applying Federal Constitution

Labor Law--Unfair Labor Practice--Intent to Encourage or Discourage Union Membership by Discrimination

The Background Of The Uniform Code Of Military Justice, Edmund M. Morgan

Vanderbilt Law Review

The Articles of War and the Articles for the Government of the Navy have always constituted the code of criminal law and criminal procedure for the Armed Forces. In contrast to the law governing civilians, the punishments imposable are not specified in the Code but are left to be fixed by the military authorities, except that the later codes do not authorize punishment by death save for specifically designated offenses. The system also provides for summary punishment for minor infractions and a series of courts--a general court having power to try all offenses, a special court with limited power to …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW--RADIO LICENSES--FCC CONTROL OF RADIO PROGRAMMING

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--CORPORATIONS--STATUTE REQUIRING SECURITY FOR COSTS IN STOCKHOLDER'S DERIVATIVE SUIT

CONSTRUCTIVE TRUSTS--TAX SALES--RIGHT OF REMAINDERMAN TO PURCHASE AT TAX SALE TO THE EXCLUSION OF LIFE TENANT

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE--EVIDENCE--EXCLUSION OF VOLUNTARY CONFESSION OBTAINED DURING ILLEGAL DETENTION

DOMESTIC RELATIONS--ALIMONY-POWER OF COURT TO MODIFY OR REMIT PAST DUE INSTALLMENTS

EMINENT DOMAIN--REMOVAL COSTS WHEN PART OF A LEASE IS TAKEN--EFFECT OF RENEWAL OF OPTION TAKING ALL OF LEASE

EVIDENCE--CHARACTER WITNESS FOR ACCUSED--CROSS-EXAMINATION AS TO KNOWLEDGE OF ARREST MANY YEARS PREVIOUSLY

FEDERAL PROCEDURE--FOREIGN CORPORATIONS--WAIVER OF VENUE BY DESIGNATION OF AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS

FULL FAITH AND CREDIT--SUIT …