Criminals and Civility

Chapters 8 and 9 from the website "Covering Crime & Justice" were about reporting on criminal and civil court cases. Chapter 14 in the book, however, was about covering a beat in general. You know... know what you're talking about, establish relationships, etc. But here's what I thought about chapters 8 and 9. Oh yeah, and for a little background, I just watched 300... where there is no law.

Chapter 8: Covering Criminal Courts
Like on Law and Order: SVU, covering of a crime and covering the court ruling on that crime often overlap. It also said that most of the felony cases of those who are convicted involve narcotics or property crimes. So... someone stealing someone else's meth lab. (Which, as we've covered in class, are quite popular in the Midwest.) A suspect can be arrested, indicted by a grand jury, or a prosecuting attorney may file a formal charge with the court clerk. Then there's a bond hearing and a preliminary hearing, which basically decides if the evidence is good enough to actually go to trial. Then the suspect (perp) is arraigned. He can then make a plea bargain, which is what resolves most criminal cases, or an out-of-court deal. (sidenote: I said 'he' there for a reason. Let's face it, most of these perps are dudes.)
Before the actual trial, lawyers do their things and get evidence or doctor evidence, whatever they choose to do. They gather more evidence, exchange the evidence, and get together their cases. High profile cases then involve many motions by the attorneys-in order to keep their high-profile clients out of the limelight, etc. The important ones for a reporter are the gag orders. They're there to limit the court's exposure to the public, on order for the defendant to save face.
Each step in the trial itself could be news (i.e. certain things revealed during the Michael Jackson case were on CNN all over). Mostly it's just drama that unfolds that makes the headlines, but other things can come out that can be newsworthy. The burden of proof lies on the prosecution, and the trial is basically set up around the attorney meeting this burden. After the jury is selected and the crazies are weeded out, the attorneys make their opening statements and evidence is produced- here is a good time for newsworthiness ("and she held out her hand with Mrs. Smith's GUN!!! :gasp:). After they bring people on the stand and question and cross examine them, the attorneys make their closing statements and the jury can deliberate (yes it is a word used outside America's Next Top Model). The jury cannot actually be interviewed until after the trial, but they may be good people to talk to since they may be the ones deciding the outcome. Then sentencing comes, another time to take notes. In more serious felonies, there may be appeals which take forever and most likely will go nowhere.

Chapter 9: Covering Civil Courts
Civil lawsuits tend not to put people behind bars, but either make someone pay or change history. (i.e. Roe v. Wade... only mentioned in every Law and Order episode and most feminist movies). Oh, but wait, maybe the website can say it better:
"For many court reporters, the civil court is the stepchild of the criminal courts."
HA I mean yes, that completely makes sense. Please go on.
Basically they are somehow trying to say that criminal courts decide on single cases whereas civil courts impact lots of people. Civil proceedings are like vintage clothing stores- you have to dig to find news, but when you find it, it's huge.
Many lawsuits are frivolous and mundane, but some end up being historical landmarks, so it's important to at least check into these things. It begins by someone filing a complaint/petition. The one who brings the suit is the plaintiff, and the one who is blamed is the defendant- kind of like on judge Judy shows. The judge has to decide how to deal with the complaint and how he will treat it. Pre-trial stages aren't as newsworthy here because there's no real evidence or motions, it's really just preparation for trial. Evidence discovered during the trial, however, is often historical. For example, evidence against tobacco companies was a big deal. The trial is popular if it involves high-cost lawsuits or high-profile people losing money. Lately, the number of jury trials in civil cases has declined because there are more settlements and judges choosing to solve disputes themselves.
In civil cases the plaintiff still has the burden of proof- meaning the defendant doesn't have to testify or prove his innocence. Settlements of civil cases can be secret, but it's up to the judge to decide whether it can be public. They can also appeal in civil cases. Other court cases involve divorces of high-profile people that may be in the news, and other small issues of child custody (Anna Nicole anyone?).

Chapter 14: Covering a Beat
"On any beat, you must be there."
Wow, so I actually have to show up to these things? Bummer.
As a beat reporter, which, let me remind the readers, I do not ever want to be, one must be prepared for anything in their field. In order to be prepared, one must read up on any background that can be found on the topic or issue. So, the beat reporter should know his options and where to start (a network of people, websites, etc.). Like the crime reporter, it's good to have a bunch of people at your disposal so you can better understand what went down. With the right people, you can ask and get answered the right questions.
Next: be alert (be ready for anything to happen). Think fast and listen to what everyone says in order to catch a slipup or problem.
The point of these things is to keep the public in the know about what's happening in your beat. When you're writing it online, it's easy to update what you reported on constantly. You're able to get more points of view and more details online. Locally, these beats tend to be things like the government and the school systems, or the court or crime beats. Things like religion or the environment are touchy and I'd avoid them.