Resource Guide for Managing Capital Cases: Federal Death Penalty Trials

Table of Contents

Section I--Introduction
    Section I-Introduction
    Section I-A What Makes Capital Cases Different
    Section I-B Federal Statutes Authorizing the Death Penalty
Section II--Pretrial Management of Capital Cases
    Section II-A Appointment of Counsel
    Section II-B Government Notice of Intent to Seek the Death Penalty
    Section II-C Investigators and Experts
    Section II-D Managing and Controlling Costs
    Section II-E Discovery Issues
    Section II-F Common Legal Challenges
    Section II-G Monitoring and Controlling the Pretrial Process
Section III--Trial of Capital Cases: Guilt Phase
    Section III-A Jury Issues
    Section III-B Security Concerns
    Section III-C Trial Schedule
    Section III-D Jury Instructions for the Guilt Phase
    Section III-E Rights of Victims to View Trial Proceedings
    Section III-F How the Guilt Phase Differs in Death-Penalty Trials
Section IV--Trial of Capital Cases: Penalty Phase
    Section IV Trial of Capital Cases: Penalty Phase
    Section IV-A Preliminary Management Issues
    Section IV-B Conduct of the Penalty Phase
    Section IV-C Penalty-Phase Jury Instructions
    Section IV-D Special-Findings and Decision Forms
    Section IV-E Certificate of Nondiscrimination
    Section IV-F Effects of Service on Jurors