Think back to all those courtroom dramas you have seen on television and in the movies. Have you ever noticed how the tension is sustained right up to the end, when a surprise witness a new piece of evidence, or an unexpected confession suddenly turns things around, and the right side wins?


It makes for good drama, but it is not the way things work in real courtrooms. In this section you will learn what really goes on in the court during a trial. When you have finished the section you should be able to:

• describe how a courtroom is organized,

• explain how a jury is selected,

• identify the procedures used in the presentation of evidence and examination of witnesses, and

• explain a variety of defences to criminal charges.