Which system describes trials where prosecution and defense each present their own witnesses and the judge mainly enforces procedure, with a contest between two opposing parties?

• A. Inquisitorial System
• B. Crime Control Model
• C. Adversarial System
• D. Due Process Model

Answer: (C)

The trials described rely on a contest between two opposing sides, with each side presenting its own witnesses and evidence and the judge acting mainly as a neutral referee who enforces rules and protects rights. This setup is the adversarial system: the truth is sought through the competition between prosecution and defense, with cross-examination and persuasive advocacy shaping what facts are accepted. The judge’s role is to ensure fair procedure and adherence to legal standards, not to conduct the investigation or uncover facts on their own. In contrast, an inquisitorial system has the judge actively investigate and question witnesses to uncover the truth, while descriptions like the crime control model or the due process model speak to broader aims and philosophies of justice rather than the trial’s structural arrangement.