2023年法学研究方法作业.doc

法学研究方法作业 TheForgottenDinnerGuest: TheBeyondaReasonableDoubt StandardinaMotionforaJudgment ofAcquittalinaFederalBenchTrial JaredKneitelt Abstract Incomparisontociviltrials,criminaltrialsaredecidedonmorestringentstandardsofproofHowever,motionsforjudgmentofacquittalincriminalnon-jurytrialsarecurrentlydecidedonamerelegalsufficiencystandardasopposedtothebeyondareasonabledoubtstandard.ThisArticleexaminesthelackofreasoninganduniformityindecidingthesemotionsaswellasthepotentialdangersandinjusticesposedtoadefendantbyapplyingalowerstandard.Throughanexaminationofbothdomesticandforeignlaw,theauthorarguesforthe applicationofthebeyondareasonabledoubtstandardwhendeterminingmotionsforjudgmentofacquittalincriminalnon-jurytrials. WelcometotheDinnerParty:Introduction Thestandardforjudgingaciviltrialislowerthanthestandardfor judgingguiltinacriminaltrial,andthereisnojuryinanon-jurytrial. Somehow-despitethesetwoveryobviousconclusions-thenineteenth centurystandardfordeterminingamotionforadirectedverdictinacivil jurytrialisstillappliedtoourmodemmotionforajudgmentofacquittal inacriminalnon-jurytrial. Inacriminaltrial,atthecloseofthegovernment'scase-in-chief,the defensemaymakeamotionforajudgmentofacquittalononeormore offensescharged.'Ifthemotionisunsuccessfulandthedefensecalls acase,thedefensemaymakeanothermotionforajudgmentofacquittal atthecloseofitscase.ThisArticleconcernsonlythemotionattheend ofthegovernment'scase.Atpresent,themotionwillsucceedonlyifthe governmenthasnotpresentedlegallysufficient'evidenceofallthe elementsoftheparticularoffenseoroffenses. ThisArticlediscusseswhy,inanon-jurytrial,thebeyondareasonable doubtstandardshouldbeapplied-insteadofmerelythelegal sufficiencystandard-whenthebenchconsidersamotionforajudgment ofacquittal.Notknowingwhetherthegovernmenthasproven-inthe judge'smind-thedefendant'sguiltbeforeinvitingthedefendanttocall acaseactuallymilitatesagainstthepresumptionofinnocence,the assurancethatthegovernmentdischargesitsburden,andthedefendant's righttoremainsilent. ThisArticleshowsthatthejurisprudenceintheUnitedStates improperlycites,forthestandardfordeterminingwhethertograntor denyamotionforajudgmentofacquittalinanon-jurytrial,eitherthe standardinajurytrialorthestandardforappellatereview.ThisArticle examinesthehistorical(lackof)developmentofthemotionfora judgmentofacquittalandtheperceivedconstitutionalpreclusionagainst thebeyondareasonabledoubtstandard.Namely,thebench-asthe arbiteroflaw-cannotusurpadefendant'sSixthAmendmentprotection tobetriedonthefactsbyajuryofhispeers.'Ofcourse,inanon-jury trial,thebenchisboththearbiteroflawandfact-finder;'hence,there isnoSixthAmendmentpreclusion. Atpresent,thereisnoruleintheFederalRulesofCriminalProcedure explicitlygoverningamotionforajudgmentofacquittalinabenchtrial. IsitRule236(JuryorNonjuryTrial)orRule29'(Motionfora JudgmentofAcquittal[inaJuryTrial])thatgovernsthemotion Althoughdistrictcourtjudgesinalmostallofthereporteddecisions assumeRule29governs,thereareseveralcasesinwhichdistrictcourt judgeshaveturnedtoRule23asthegoverningstatute.'Further,even amongtheauthorsoftreatisesontheFederalRulesofCriminalProcedure, thereisdisagreementastowhatRulegoverns.'Wright'sFederal PracticeandProcedurediscussesamotionforajudgmentofacquittal inabenchtrialunderRule29.oYetMoore'sFederalPracticestates, Rule29hasnorealapplicationwhenacaseistriedbythecourtsince thepleaofnotguiltyasksthecourtforajudgmentofacquittal. ThisArticleconcludesbyproposinganewRule29(e)toresolvethis ambiguityandtomakeclearthatthebeyondareasonabledoubtstandard isthestandardthatshouldbeemployedindeterminingamotionfor ajudgmentofacquittalinabenchtrial. I.ByInvitationOnly:RespondezS'ilVousPlait Acriminaldefendantisnotguiltyunlessprovenguilty;thegovernment bearstheburdenofprovingthecriminaldefendantguiltybeyond areasonabledoubt;andthegovernment(notthedefendant)must introduceevidencesufficienttopersuadethefact-finder,beyonda reasonabledoubt,ofthedefendant'sguilt.14Thus,ifthegovernmentdoes notintroduceevidencetoprovethedefendantguiltybeyondareasonable doubt,thenthedefendantisnotguilty. Attheconclusionofthegovernment'scase,thegovernment'scase willpresumably-andinalmostallcircumstances-beatitshighest.If thegovernmenthasnotprovenitscasebeyondareasonabledoubtafter thepresentationofitsevidence,whenwilliteverbeabletoproveitscase beyondareasonabledoubtThisbegstheverysimplequestion:Ifthe defendantisnotguiltyattheconclusionofthegovernment'scase-inchief, whyshouldthedefendantbeinvitedtocalladefense Althoughthegovernmentmayhavepresentedlegallysufficient evidenceoftheoffensescharged,thejudgestillmaynotfindattheclose ofthegovernment'scasethatthegovernmentproveditscasebeyonda reasonabledoubt.Forexample,thejudgemayfindtheacc