B. Present the main stages of the trial procedure

Task 3.

A. Concentrate upon the role of defense counsel in the US and compare it with the Russian one.

The defense lawyer has a double function in the investigation phase of the criminal process: to assist the suspect in gathering exonerating evidence and to protect him from violations of his rights at the hands of law-enforcement personnel. All legal systems grant the suspect the right to the assistance of an attorney, and in many countries the suspect must be informed of this right before police interrogate him. If the suspect does not have the means to hire a lawyer, often the state will pay the attorney's fee or provide the suspect with state-employed counsel.

However, the law also restricts defense counsel's ability to carry out his functions. In some jurisdictions, as in France, the attorney has no right to be present when the suspect or a witness is interrogated by the police; only a few countries, such as the US, grant the defense the right to compel witnesses on its behalf to appear in court. Moreover, in most jurisdictions the defense has no or only limited access to information gathered by the prosecution before the case reaches the court.

B. Make up a presentation about the functions of prosecuting counsel.