*Please follow all instructions completely and do the assignment correctly!!!!*
Assignment 2: Critical Evaluation of Court Case
It is important to understand the impact an expert testimony may have in the ultimate decision made by a court. In addition, it is helpful for practitioners of forensic psychology to be able to read and understand legal cases.
Tasks:
Click here to review the case Commonwealth of Virginia v. Allen (2005).
The case describes an appellate legal opinion or court decision involving expert witness testimony. When a case is appealed, it goes to an appellate or to a higher court. The appellate court then reviews the findings of the lower court, which in this case was the trial court. The appellate court offered the following two opinions:
- The first opinion (Commonwealth of Virginia v. Allen, 2005, pp. 1–24) is the majority opinion and is the one that counts.
- The second opinion (Commonwealth of Virginia v. Allen, 2005, pp. 24–31) is an opinion filed by a minority of judges who concurred (agreed) in part and dissented (disagreed) in part with the majority of the judges who ruled.
After reading the appellate legal opinion, write a 2- to 3-page paper addressing the following:
- Discuss whether either of the expert witnesses in this case acted unethically. Support your opinion with the relevant APA or specialty ethical guidelines.
- Indicate whether you agree with the majority decision or the minority concurring or dissenting opinion. Explain why.
The paper should be in APA style.
Reference:
Commonwealth of Virginia v. Allen, 609 S.E.2d 4 (Va. 2005).
Submission Details:
- Save your paper as M4_A2_Lastname_Firstname.doc. By the due date assigned, post it to the Submissions Area.
| Assignment 2 Grading Criteria |
Maximum Points |
| Determined whether either of the expert witnesses in this case acted unethically. |
40 |
| Justified your response with appropriate ethical guidelines. |
40 |
| Critically evaluated the appellate legal opinion and logically explained your reasons for agreement with the majority or minority decision. |
12 |
| Wrote in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrated ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and displayed accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. |
8 |
| Total: |
100 |