MANUAL ON RECURRING PROBLEMS IN CRIMINAL TRIALS - 2001
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MANUAL ON RECURRING PROBLEMS IN CRIMINAL TRIALS - 2001
Among the many significant contributions made to the federal judiciary by the late Judge Donald Voorhees is the Manual on Recurring Problems in Criminal Trials. During his tenure on the Federal Judicial Center's Board from 1979 to 1983, Judge Voorhees developed the manual to assist his fellow judges in researching important issues that arise frequently in criminal trials. Many federal judges have found the book to be an invaluable resource - a research tool that enables them quickly to locate authority on specific issues that often confront them.
Although in this edition, as in the previous one, the editors have added some material and made some changes in organization and format, the manual adheres to Judge Voorhees' original concept of simplicity and ease of use. As his "Caveat" (written to accompany the third edition) emphasizes, the book is not meant to be a comprehensive treatise on criminal law, but rather a basic guide to the law governing many of the procedural matters that arise frequently in criminal trials. Consequently, the manual should not be cited as authority in opinions or other materials, nor should the case summaries, which have been updated through October, 2000, be considered substitutes for the judicial opinions they reference.
We at the Center take pride in continuing the work begun by Judge Voorhees with the publication of the fourth edition of his manual.
Fern M. Smith
Director, Federal Judicial Center
MANUAL ON RECURRING PROBLEMS IN CRIMINAL TRIALS - 2001
These materials were originally prepared for distribution at the seminars
for newly appointed district judges at the Federal Judicial Center. They do not purport to be an exhaustive briefing of the subjects that they touch. Rather, they are a collection of decisions on many of the procedural problems that plague trial judges. It goes without saying that a rule laid down in one circuit is not necessarily the rule in all, or any, of the other circuits. The headnotes of the cited cases should, however, lead through the West System to the decided cases upon the same topic from the other circuits. I am hopeful that this outline may be of assistance in suggesting appropriate responses to the recurring problems that confront trial judges.I wish to give much credit to my secretary, Mary Anne Anderson, who has so ably assisted me in preparing and assembling all of the materials which make up this manual.
Donald S. Voorhees
March 1988