How does a criminal trial work?

• Voir Dire. Voir Dire is a fancy French word used to name jury selection. ...
• Opening Statement. After the jury is empaneled, the trial will begin with opening statements. ...
• State's Case in Chief. ...
• The Defense Case. ...
• State's Rebuttal. ...
• Closing Arguments. ...
• Verdict.

1. Step 1: Selection of the Jury.
2. Step 2: The Trial.
3. Step 3: Juror Conduct During the Trial.
4. Step 4: Jury Deliberations.
5. Step 5: After the Verdict.

• Filing a Complaint and Answer (Pleadings)
• Pre-trial motions.
• Jury Selection.
• Opening Statement(s)
• Presentations of Evidence.
• Rebuttal & Surrebuttal.
• Jury Instructions.
• Jury Deliberation.

What happens at the beginning of a trial?

Steps in a Trial

The trial begins with the opening statement of the party with the burden of proof. This is the party that brought the case to court--the government in a criminal prosecution or the plaintiff in a civil case--and has to prove its case in order to prevail.

What is usually the order of a trial?

Pretrial Stage - discovery process, finding of facts. Trial Stage - seating of the jury, testimony on behalf of the plaintiffs and testimony on behalf of the defendants. Post Trial - concluding arguments, judge's charge to the jury, jury deliberations, announcement of judgment, motions for new trial or appeal.

What are the 8 steps in a trial?

What are the 14 steps of a trial?

What should I expect at a trial?

The jury will evaluate the evidence presented, then decide whether the evidence is credible, and whether or not to convict the defendant. The judge usually begins by welcoming the members of the jury, asking them some basic questions, and reviewing how the trial will proceed.

How do jurors reach a verdict of guilty or not guilty?

The jurors meet in a room outside the courtroom to decide whether the prosecutor has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty. All the jurors must agree on the decision or verdict – their decision must be unanimous.

Does the judge or jury decide the verdict?

The judge or jury decides if you are guilty after hearing all the evidence and the submissions. In most cases, it will take some time to decide the outcome of the case. When you hear the verdict, if you are not guilty (acquitted), you can leave.

What are the 10 steps of a trial?

What is the difference between the pretrial process and the trial process in a criminal case?

While the trial itself is a critical process, the actual outcome is often decided long before you set foot in front of a jury. The pretrial hearing happens before the trial, and it lays the foundation for everything that will come later.

At what stage in the criminal process does the defendant typically plead guilty or not guilty?

The suspect makes his first court appearance at the arraignment. During arraignment, the judge reads the charges filed against the defendant in the complaint and the defendant chooses to plead "guilty," "not guilty" or "no contest" to those charges.

Who gets last word in trial?

In a criminal trial, the prosecution gets the last word, and if it chooses to, may rebut yet again after the defense's closing argument.

Who has the burden of proof in most cases?

In civil cases, the plaintiff has the burden of proving his case by a preponderance of the evidence. A "preponderance of the evidence" and "beyond a reasonable doubt" are different standards, requiring different amounts of proof.

What happens after a jury finds a person guilty?

If the jury fails to reach a unanimous verdict, the judge may declare a mistrial, and the case will either be dismissed or a new jury will be chosen. If a judge or jury finds the defendant guilty, the court will sentence the defendant.

WHO calls witnesses first in criminal trials?

The prosecution goes first, followed by the defense. Witness testimony – Each side can call witnesses and ask them questions about the case and/or the defendant. First, the prosecution calls their witnesses, who can then be cross examined by the defense.

What is the final stage of a trial?

Stage Ten - Deliberations and Verdict

The final stage in a federal criminal trial will be jury deliberations and verdict.

Do judges see evidence before trial?

The judge wil often look to other evidence and witnesses to decide which party is telling the truth. If you have a case that involves domestic violence, having evidence to present that corroborates your version of the events can be especially important.

Why does the prosecution go first?

The side bringing the case is the side that bears the burden of proof, and thus always goes first. This is the prosecuting attorney in a criminal case, or the plaintiff in a civil case. The defense then follows with their opening statement.

What determines whether evidence will be admitted in court?

Basically, if evidence is to be admitted at court, it must be relevant, material, and competent. To be considered relevant, it must have some reasonable tendency to help prove or disprove some fact. It need not make the fact certain, but at least it must tend to increase or decrease the likelihood of some fact.

What do judges say to start trials?

Judge: “Prosecution, are you ready to begin.” Prosecution: “Yes your honor.” Judge: “The prosecution may make its opening statement.” “Your Honor and members of the jury, we know that _____________________ is guilty of violating the law.