The Greatest Criminal Cases: Changing the Course of American Law

by J. Michael Martinez

Overview

This fascinating book recounts the compelling stories behind 14 of the most important criminal procedure cases in American legal history.

Many constitutional protections that Americans take for granted today—the right to exclude illegally obtained evidence, the right to government-financed counsel, and the right to remain silent, among others—were not part of the original Bill of Rights, but were the result of criminal trials and judicial interpretations. The untold stories behind these cases reveal circumstances far more interesting than any legal dossier can evoke. Author J. Michael Martinez provides a brief introduction to the drama and intrigue behind 14 leading court cases in American law.

This engaging text presents a short summary of high-profile legal proceedings from the late 19th century through recent times and includes key landmark cases in which the court established the parameters of probable cause for searches, the features of due process, and the legality of electronic surveillance. The work offers concise explanations and analysis of the facts as well as the lasting significance of the cases to criminal procedure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440828683
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/28/2014
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.50(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

J. Michael Martinez, PhD, teaches political science, criminal justice, and public administration courses at Kennesaw State University, the University of South Dakota (online), and the University of Georgia, respectively.

Table of Contents

Introduction and Acknowledgments
Chapter 1 Hurtado v. California (1884) and 19th-Century Criminal Procedure
Chapter 2 Weeks v. United States (1914) and the Origins of the Exclusionary Rule
Chapter 3 Olmstead v. United States (1928) and Wiretapping the "Baby Lieutenant"
Chapter 4 Powell v. Alabama (1932) and the Scottsboro Boys
Chapter 5 Brown v. Mississippi (1936) and Fundamental Fairness
Chapter 6 Mapp v. Ohio (1961) and the Exclusionary Rule Redux
Chapter 7 Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) and the Right to Counsel
Chapter 8 Miranda v. Arizona (1966) and the Right to Remain Silent
Chapter 9 Katz v. United States (1967) and the Right to Privacy
Chapter 10 Terry v. Ohio (1968) and the Stop-and-Frisk Search
Chapter 11 Chimel v. California (1969) and Searches Incident to Arrest
Chapter 12 United States v. Leon (1984) and a Good Faith Exception to the Exclusionary Rule
Chapter 13 California v. Hodari D. (1991) and Determining When a "Seizure" Occurs
Chapter 14 Hamdan v. Rumsfeld (2006) and Trial by Jury
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index