Chapter 2 Sample Cases and Scenarios
Case 1
While cooking dinner, Jack and Rick got into a fight over Jack’s girlfriend. Rick picked up a vase and hit Jack, so Jack grabbed a knife from the counter and stabbed Rick.
Can Jacks Actions be considered self defense
Case 2
Isabel intended to burn her house down when she set fire to it. As the house started to burn she changed her mind and used her hose to put it out. Isabel is arrested and charged with arson.
Should Isabel’s crime be classified as a felony or a misdemeanor since she changed her mind and did less than $500 damage to the property
Case 3
Yolanda went over to a friend’s house to visit. When she arrived, her friend was not home, but had left the door unlocked. Yolanda went inside the house and took a laptop before returning home.
Should this be considered burglary since the house was left unlocked?
Case 4
Andrew Ham was 19 and lived with his mother in a two-bedroom apartment. In February Andrew entered into an informal agreement with his mother to pay rent for his bedroom which he shared with his little brother. He paid rent for February and March but failed to pay rent in April. Since he did not pay the rent Ms. Ham told Andrew that he would have to move out. Prior to moving out the police began investigating Andrew in connection with a burglary. The police went to Ms. Ham’s apartment and asked Ms. Ham whether they could search Andrew’s bedroom even though they did not have a warrant to search. Ms. Ham consented. While searching the bedroom, the police found the stolen property in Andrews closet.
Can Andrew’s mother provide consent to the police to search Andrew’s room? Does it make a difference whether Andrew paid rent to his mother?