Trial Process

Criminal Defense Attorney

It is safe to assume if you have never gotten into legal trouble, you do not know the process once you have been charged with a criminal offense. Even if you have gotten into some trouble with the law in the past, it is important to understand the process of trial so you are prepared in the future. Cases usually go to trial when an accused individual refused to accept a plea bargain. While the courtroom is not a fun place to be, this will be your home throughout the trial process. Trial time can vary from days to even months, if you understand the steps a trial typically go through until the end, you will know where you are in your trial process and when to expect a conclusion, for the most part. A trial goes through six steps:

  • Selection of the jury. This can take a while. As a civilian, you may know this process as “Jury Duty”. The defense and prosecution speak with and weeds out individuals to potentially place on the jury. The individuals are asked very intentional questions to ensure no one is biased or prejudice, which makes a fair trial more likely.
  • The Defense and Prosecutors Opening Statements are their summary of the case and why the jury should consider their direction. This is when they explain why they are there and how they are right.
  • Testimonials are then given by eyewitnesses, expert witnesses, or people with useful information pursuant to the case. The defense and prosecutors ask a few questions that will somehow lead to proving their side as true. The witness information is sometimes new information that can likely change the outcome of a case.
  • The Defense and Prosecutors Closing Arguments are given once all testimonies are complete and evidence has been presented to the courts, both sides will again summarize their points to prove to the jury that their side is true before a decision is made.
  • Judge provides the jury with their instructions and the rules they must follow when making a decision.
  • The jury takes this information, reviews all the information they gathered from the trial and deliberates. This may sometimes take a while but once the decision is made they return to the courtroom and announce their decision.

If you or someone you know is facing criminal charges, it is best to speak with a skilled criminal defense attorney in Atlanta, GA that can review the details of your case and prepare you for trial should your case ever get there.

Thanks to Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. for their insight into criminal defense cases and the trial process.