On 15th, December, 2014, the Collaborative Innovation Center of Judicial Civilization (CICJC) invited Professor Joseph Hoffmann from Indianan University Maurer Law School to have a lecture in the Academic Institute of Procedural Law. Professor Zhang Baosheng, the associate president of China University of Politics and Law (CUPL), and Professor Bian Jianlin, the dean of the Academic Institute of Procedural Law separately addressed for the lecture. Professor Li Bensen moderated the lecture.

The topic of Hoffmann’s lecture is the evolution of the American Adversary System of Criminal Cases. Professor Hoffmann illustrated the map of the new development of the adversary system in the United States. The content of the lecture is consisted of six parts including right to counsel, effective assistance of counsel, plea bargaining, prosecutorial disclosure of evidence, confrontation of witnesses, Habeas Corpus, and the death penalty. Professor Hoffmann particularly introduced certain typical cases to display the details of the change of the adversary system and outline the process of the amendment of every single rule.

During discussion, scholars and graduates raised some questions related to the topic, and Professor Hoffmann responded and clarified the confused issues and concerns regarding to the reformulation of the rules and policies of criminal procedure. Finally, professor Yang Yuguan gave a comprehensive comment, and highly appreciated Professor Hoffman’s Lecture. In a word, the lecture achieved a great success in academic communication and dialogue between American scholar and CUPL scholars in criminal procedure.