A criminal case is the prosecution of an accused person on a charge of a crime or misdemeanor. The exact procedures in a criminal case will vary, depending on things like whether the charge is a felony or misdemeanor, whether it involves a serious or minor crime, and where the crime was committed. However, there are some general steps that all cases will go through.
A prosecutor will review a police report (if the accused person was arrested) or the results of the investigation (if they were not arrested) and decide if there is enough evidence to charge the defendant with the crime. The defendant will then be notified of the charges. They will also be informed of their right to have a lawyer and if they can’t afford one, they will be given a court-appointed attorney.
At the arraignment, the judge will read the charges and set bail, if any is required. Bail is the money or property the defendant must give to the court in order to be released from jail during the trial. The judge may also set conditions of release, such as electronic monitoring or drug testing.
The prosecutor will present their case by calling witnesses and introducing evidence. The defendant’s lawyer will have the opportunity to cross-examine all witnesses called by the prosecution. Afterwards, the defendant will get to call witnesses and introduce their own evidence.
At the end of the trial, the jury will deliberate and reach a verdict. If the jury finds the defendant guilty, they will be sentenced. If the jury cannot agree, it ends in a hung jury and the judge will make a decision.
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