Week 7.1 Law

1. In some places, technology has reached the point where a trial could be conducted by a teleconference. The defendant could be left at the local jail and could watch the entire trial on a monitor. The state would not be forced to transport him back and forth every day and would save considerable money in transport and security costs. Is this a good idea? Is this idea Constitutional? Why or why not?

2. In civil trials, the witnesses are usually deposed before trial. Attorneys for both sides are present at the deposition and ask all the questions that they wish. Wouldn’t this be a good idea for criminal trials as well? Witnesses could simply testify through their written depositions or even by videotaped depositions and not be forced to appear at trial. Are there any problems with this scenario?

3.  Defendants with the financial resources can hire private investigators and others to help investigate the jury and witnesses. Poorer defendants do not have that option. Does this contribute to lopsided justice where the rich get better justice than the poor?