Question

What four amendments to the Constitution are specifically related to criminal procedure? In what ways do these amendments impact the courts?

Answer 1

The fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth ammendments in the Bill of Rights are specifically related to criminal procedure. These four bills protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures, fair due process, right to fair trial and, reasonable and consistent bails.

These ammendments impact the courts in the following ways. The fourth ammendment states that the law enforcer cannot infiltrate a person's privacy without warrant. The warrant is to be issued by the judge. For citizens it has a positive effect as it protects privacy but for law enforcers it has negative as the person can destroy evidence.

The fifth ammendment states that a person will have due process and without it he or she cannot be punished or persecuted. The fifth ammendment gives the person right to remain silent to save himself from self-incrimination. If a person is found innocent, the court is prohibited to put the person on trial for the second time for the same case.

The sixth ammendment gives the right to fair trial by jury to the person. It gives the defendant the right to know the nature of charges, evidences and witnesses. He or she can also bring witnesses for his defence. The impact of sixth amendment on court is that the trial happens in the state and district where the crime was supposedly committed.

The eighth ammendment state the court cannot set excessive bail. It also protects the accused from punishment that are considered torturous such as electric chair. The eighth ammendment prevents court and saves the accused from biases and prejudices (if any) of the judges.