Anonymity of Rule Violation Reports

[bluntpencil2001]

Actually, 95% of criminal cases in the US lead to convictions without ever going to trial. It's called a plea bargain, and it's done entirely behind closed doors. The State decides what they want to do to you, then threaten you with far, far worse, and make it look like they're doing you a favor by giving you the punishment they really wanted in the first place. Not a whole lot of public involvement there. In addition, many cases that do go to trial, the defendant waives his/her right to a trial by jury, and has the Judge decides the case instead. (oddly enough, that's a good idea in some criminal cases...) So, when you get right down to it, there's actually little public involvement in the Criminal court system.

Honestly, though, this is more like a Civil court, where one side is suing for damages from the other party for some sort of wrongdoing. In those cases, the judge alone decides those in every case, often in closed sessions. Again, no real public involvement.

Be careful, he'll march on Washington now.

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