13.2 The Criminal Trial Process

The criminal trial process is a complex series of steps designed to ensure justice. From arraignment to sentencing, each phase plays a crucial role in determining guilt or innocence. Understanding these steps is key to grasping how the justice system works.

Rights of the accused and evidence admissibility are fundamental to fair trials. These protections, along with jury selection and deliberation, aim to balance the pursuit of justice with individual rights. Knowing these elements helps us appreciate the intricacies of criminal proceedings.

The Criminal Trial Process

Steps of criminal trial process

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1. Arraignment
   • Defendant appears before the court to hear charges
   • Enters a plea (guilty, not guilty, or no contest)
2. Pre-trial motions
   • Defense and prosecution file motions to suppress evidence or dismiss charges
   • Court rules on admissibility of evidence and validity of charges
3. Jury selection (voir dire)
   • Judge and attorneys question potential jurors for biases
   • Impartial jurors are selected and sworn in
4. Opening statements
   • Prosecution presents an overview of their case and evidence
   • Defense may present their case overview or wait until prosecution rests
5. Prosecution's case-in-chief
   • Prosecution presents evidence (physical, documentary, testimonial) and witness testimony
   • Defense cross-examines prosecution's witnesses to challenge credibility
6. Defense's case
   • Defense may present exculpatory evidence and witness testimony
   • Prosecution cross-examines defense's witnesses
7. Closing arguments
   • Prosecution argues for conviction based on evidence presented
   • Defense argues for acquittal, emphasizing reasonable doubt
8. Jury instructions and deliberation
   • Judge instructs jury on applicable law and elements of the crime
   • Jury deliberates in private to reach a unanimous verdict
9. Sentencing
   • If found guilty, court determines sentence based on crime severity, criminal history, and guidelines
   • Factors include rehabilitation potential, public safety, and deterrence

Purpose of plea bargaining

• Negotiation where defendant pleads guilty for reduced charges or sentence
• Defendant avoids trial uncertainty and potentially lighter sentence
• Prosecution secures conviction without trial time and expense
• Efficiently resolves cases, reducing court system burden
• Over 90% of U.S. criminal cases resolved through plea bargaining
• Critics argue it may pressure innocent defendants to plead guilty

Rights of the Accused and Evidence in Criminal Trials

Rights of accused in trials

• Right to counsel: legal representation, court-appointed if indigent
• Right to fair trial: presumption of innocence, prosecution proves guilt beyond reasonable doubt
• Right to confront and cross-examine accusers
• Right to speedy trial without excessive delay
• Protection against self-incrimination (right to remain silent)
• Right to impartial jury of peers, unbiased and evidence-based

Evidence and testimony admissibility

• Types: physical (tangible objects), documentary (records, reports), testimonial (witness accounts)
• Rules: relevant to case, material in proving/disproving facts, competent (reliable)
• Inadmissible: illegally obtained (unlawful searches), hearsay (with exceptions), privileged communications (attorney-client)
• Witness testimony: direct examination, cross-examination, impeachment of credibility
• Expert witnesses provide specialized knowledge if qualified by expertise

Jury selection and verdict role

• Jury pool summoned from community (voter or driver records)
• Voir dire questioning by judge and attorneys to identify biases
• Challenges dismiss jurors for cause (bias) or peremptory (no reason)
• Judge instructs jury on law and crime elements, evidence-based decision
• Jurors deliberate to reach unanimous verdict, hung jury if deadlocked
• Jurors are finders of fact, weigh evidence credibility, apply law to facts for guilty/not guilty verdict